77th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Fluid Dynamics (November 24, 2024 — November 26, 2024)

V2694595: Fully Resolved Direct Numerical Simulations of Bubble Dynamics in Vertically Driven Buoyant Flows

Authors
  • Abbas Moradi Bilondi, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Luca Brandt, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
  • Salar Zamani Salimi, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
  • Prasad Perlekar, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research Hyderabad, India
  • Parisa Mirbod, University of Illinois at Chicago
  • Christopher J. Knight, Argonne National Laboratory, IL, USA
  • Saumil S. Patel, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Silvio Rizzi, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Joseph A. Insley, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Janet Knowles, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Victor A. Mateevitsi, Argonne National Laboratory
  • Michael E. Papka, Argonne National Laboratory
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/APS.DFD.2024.GFM.V2694595

Bubbly flows, where gas bubbles are dispersed in a liquid, are crucial in various industrial and environmental processes, such as reactors, heat exchangers, and wastewater treatment. This study investigates bubbly flow with a 2.7% bubble volume fraction by varying the Galilei (buoyancy forces) and Eötvös (bubble deformability) numbers within ranges of 390-2026 and 0.85-8.5, respectively. With air-water density and viscosity ratios set at 0.001 and 0.01, it examines how these factors influence flow dynamics.The study finds that lower Eötvös numbers result in less deformable bubbles accumulating near walls, leading to a uniform central distribution. In contrast, higher Eötvös numbers cause bubble breakups, redistributing them to the center and increasing turbulence. Higher Galilei numbers boost both mean and fluctuating velocities, particularly near the walls, where vorticity and energy dissipation also rise, enhancing turbulence. These findings offer insights into improving efficiency in industrial bubbly flows, such as in nuclear and chemical reactors and wastewater systems.

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