The Fokker–Planck Equation for Bubbly Flows and the Motion of Gas Bubble Pairs

A method is proposed to calculate the bubble distribution function in a bubbly flow. First a review is given of the equations of motion and the dynamic behaviour of a pair of bubbles moving through a liquid at moderate Reynolds number. Subsequently, a Fokker–Planck type transport equation is derived for the bubble distribution function. It is assumed that the interaction is primarily by frequent and binary encounters, each with weak hydrodynamic interaction between the bubbles. The bubble collision cross-section, which needs to be known for the transport coefficients, is presented. A comparison with PDF-methods for fluid particles in turbulent reacting flows is made.     

Interactions between a central bubble and a surrounding bubble cluster

The interaction of multiple bubbles is a complex physical problem. A simplified case of multiple bubbles is studied theoretically with a bubble located at the center of a circular bubble cluster. All bubbles in the cluster are equally spaced and own the same initial conditions as the central bubble. The unified theory for bubble dynamics [35] is applied to model the interaction between the central bubble and the circular bubble cluster. To account for the effect of the propagation time of pressure waves, the emission source of the wave is obtained by interpolating the physical information on the time axis. An underwater explosion experiment with two bubbles of different scales is used to validate the theoretical model. The effect of the bubble cluster with a variation in scale on the pulsation characteristics of the central bubble is studied.     

Relationships between distributions of chord lengths and distributions of bubble sizes including their statistical parameters

The performance of fluidized beds is strongly influenced by bubble behavior. Among various hydrodynamic properties, bubble size distributions are of prime concern, but in practice, bubble size is not readily measured. When a probe is used to determine bubble size, it intersects a bubble with a chord length other than the largest vertical dimension. The relationships between the size distribution of bubbles in the bed, the size distribution of bubbles touching the probe and the distribution of chord lengths must be resolved for correct interpretation of probe signals. A method for translating statistical parameters, namely mean and standard deviation of chord lengths to mean and standard deviation of bubble sizes, and an approach to infer the size distribution of bubbles touching the probe and the size distribution of bubbles in the bed system by using the distribution of chord lengths measured by a probe in closed form are proposed for the first time.     

Propagation of nonlinear waves in a gas-liquid medium. Exact and approximate analytical solutions of wave equations

A number of exact and approximate analytical solutions of the equations for one-dimensional and weakly non-one-dimensional waves propagating in a liquid with gas bubbles are presented for the case where the bubble distribution density is a continuous function of the bubble radius and spatial coordinates.     

近自由面的多个水下爆炸气泡相互作用研究

将气泡运动阶段周围的流场假设为无黏、无旋、不可压缩的理想流体,运用边界积分法模拟流场中气泡的运动,并开发了三维计算程序,计算值与实验值吻合较好.用该方法模拟了近自由面多气泡之间的相互作用,包括同相气泡和异相气泡. 通过计算发现,气泡的周期随两气泡中心的距离减小而增大,这是由于多气泡之间存在抑制作用,特别是对异相气泡,这种抑制作用更加明显,称之为多气泡之间的抑制效应. 无论有、无自由面存在,多气泡之间均存在抑制效应,由于抑制效应导致同相与异相气泡相互耦合作用的动态特性存在巨大的差异,这些现象可为将来研究多个同时或延时产生的水下爆炸气泡的威力提供参考.      

波浪作用下直立结构物附近强湍动掺气流体运动的数值模拟

波浪破碎卷入气体易对建筑物受力产生压力振荡, 了解波浪作用下建筑物附近掺气水流的运动特性是精确计算建筑物受力的前提. 基于OpenFOAM开源程序包和修正速度入口造波方法建立三维数值波浪水槽, 模型采用S-A IDDES湍流模型进行湍流封闭, 并采用修正的VOF 方法捕捉自由液面, 数值模拟了规则波在1:10的光滑斜坡上与直立结构物的相互作用过程, 重点分析了结构物附近的水动力和掺气水流运动特性. 结果表明, 建立的数值模型能精确地捕捉波浪作用下直立结构物附近的自由液面的变化以及气泡输运过程, 较好地描述气体卷入所形成的气腔形态以及多气腔之间的融合、分裂等过程; 波浪与直立结构物相互作用产生强湍动掺气水流, 其运动过程十分复杂; 掺气流体输运过程中水气界面周围一直伴随着涡的存在, 其中, 气泡的分裂与周围正负涡量剪切作用密切相关, 且其输运轨迹主要受周围流场的影响; 研究揭示了结构物附近湍动能与掺气特性的关系, 发现波浪作用下直立结构物附近湍动能的分布与掺气水流特征参数(气泡数量、空隙率)整体呈现一定的线性关系.      

Interactions of multiple spark-generated bubbles with phase differences

This paper aims to study the complex interaction between multiple bubbles, and to provide a summary and physical explanation of the phenomena observed during the interaction of two bubbles. High-speed photography is utilized to observe the experiments involving multiple spark-generated bubbles. Numerical simulations corresponding to the experiments are performed using the Boundary Element Method (BEM). The bubbles are typically between 3 and 5 mm in radius and are generated either in-phase (at the same time) or with phase differences. Complex phenomena are observed such as bubble splitting, and high-speed jetting inside a bubble caused by another collapsing bubble nearby (termed the ‘catapult’ effect). The two-bubble interactions are broadly classified in a graph according to two parameters: the relative inter-bubble distance and the phase difference (a new parameter introduced). The BEM simulations provide insight into the physics, such as bubble shape changes in detail, and jet velocities. Also presented in this paper are the experimental results of three bubble interactions. The interesting and complex observations of multiple bubble interaction are important for a better understanding of real life applications in medical ultrasonic treatment and ultrasonic cleaning. Many of the three bubble interactions can be explained by isolating bubble pairs and classifying their interaction according to the graph for the two bubble case. This graph can be a useful tool to predict the behavior of multiple bubble interactions.     

Propagation of nonlinear waves in an inhomogeneous gas-liquid medium. Derivation of wave equations in the Korteweg-de Vries approximation

Equations describing the propagation of waves of small but finite amplitude in a liquid with gas bubbles are derived. The bubble distribution density is a continuous function of bubble size and spatial coordinates. It is found that, for a uniform bubble distribution, the obtained equations become the Korteweg-de Vries, Kadomtsev-Petviashvili and Khokhlov-Zabolotskaya equations. __________ Translated from Prikladnaya Mekhanika i Tekhnicheskaya Fizika, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 188–197, March–April, 2009.     

Bubble characteristics in a bubbling fluidized bed with a rotating distributor

In this paper, the effect of a novel rotating distributor for fluidized beds on the bubble size is studied. The distributor is a perforated plate that rotates around the vertical axis of the column.The formation of the bubbles on the rotating distributor is theoretically analyzed. The pierced length of the bubbles ascending in the bed were measured using optical probes. The probability distribution of bubble diameter was inferred from these experimental measurements using the maximum entropy method. The radial profile of the bubble diameter is presented for the static and rotating configurations at different gas velocities. The frequency of bubble passage and the distribution of bubbles in the cross section of the bed are also reported. Results were finally shown for different heights above the distributor.A radial decrease in the bubble size when the distributor rotates is found. The bubble growth with the bed height is also lower in the rotating case.     

Study on heat transfer performance of spray cooling: model and analysis

In consideration of droplet–film impaction, film formation, film motion, bubble boiling (both wall nucleation bubbles and secondary nucleation bubbles), droplet–bubble interaction, bulk air convection and radiation, a model to predict the heat and mass transfer in spray cooling was presented in this paper. The droplet–film impaction was modeled based on an empirical correlation related with droplet Weber number. The film formation, film motion, bubble growth, and bubble motion were modeled based on dynamics fundamentals. The model was validated by the experimental results provided in this paper, and a favorable comparison was demonstrated with a deviation below 10%. The film thickness, film velocity, and non-uniform surface temperature distribution were obtained numerically, and then analyzed. A parameters sensitivity analysis was made to obtain the influence of spray angle, surface heat flux density, and spray flow rate on the surface temperature distribution, respectively. It can be concluded that the heat transfer induced by droplet–film impaction and film-surface convection is dominant in spray cooling under conditions that the heated surface is not superheated. However, the effect of boiling bubbles increases rapidly while the heated surface becomes superheated.