Study of Pressure Wave Propagation in a Two-Phase Bubbly Mixture

Abstract

(1) Background. Bubbly flows are used in a wide variety of applications and require accurate modeling. In this paper, three modeling approaches are investigated using the geometrically simple configuration of a gas bubble strongly oscillating in a bubbly medium. (2) Method of approach. A coupled Eulerian-Lagrangian, a multicomponent compressible, and an analytical approach are compared for different void fractions. (3) Results. While the homogeneous mixture models (analytical and multicomponent) compare well with each other, the Eulerian-Lagrangian model captures additional features and inhomogeneities. The discrete bubbles appear to introduce localized perturbations in the void fraction and the pressure distributions not captured by homogeneous mixture models. (4) Conclusions. The bubbly mixture impedes the growth and collapse of the primary bubble while wavy patterns in the velocity, pressure, and void fraction fields propagate in space and time.