Title

Lattice Boltzmann simulation to study multiple bubble dynamics

Authors

Authors

A. Gupta;R. Kumar

Comments

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Abbreviated Journal Title

Int. J. Heat Mass Transf.

Keywords

Lattice Boltzmann; Bubble; Two-phase; Coalescence; DIRECT NUMERICAL SIMULATIONS; REYNOLDS-NUMBER ARRAYS; DENSITY RATIO; GAS; AUTOMATA; FLUID-FLOWS; MODEL; EQUATION; SUSPENSIONS; VELOCITIES; LIQUIDS; Thermodynamics; Engineering, Mechanical; Mechanics

Abstract

Lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) has been used in this study to understand the behavior of bubble motion and bubble coalescence in liquids. Highly isotropic gradient vectors have been obtained on a lattice for two-phase simulations using LBM. For a fully periodic domain, bubble dynamics and shape for a single bubble and multiple bubbles are dependent on Eotvos number, Reynolds number and Morton number. For single bubble simulations, computations were done for high Eotvos and low to moderate Reynolds numbers, and the results are matched with the experimentally quantified flow visualization chart. The drag coefficient for single bubble motion under buoyancy for both two- and three-dimensional simulations compares well with existing correlations. For multiple bubbles, the bubble dynamics is dictated by the vortex pattern of the leading bubble, which allows the bubbles to coalesce. Coalescence can be described as a three stage process: collision; drainage of the liquid film between adjacent bubbles to a critical thickness; and rupture of this thin film of liquid. Such simulations have also been run for different configurations of the initial bubble distribution for both in-line and staggered bubble configuration to show the effect of vortex shedding on the oscillatory motion of the bubbles and subsequent coalescence. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Journal Title

International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer

Volume

51

Issue/Number

21-22

Publication Date

1-1-2008

Document Type

Article

Language

English

First Page

5192

Last Page

5203

WOS Identifier

WOS:000260273000017

ISSN

0017-9310

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