Bubble aspect ratio in dense bubbly flows: Experimental studies in low Morton-number systems

Almost every modelling approach of bubbly flows includes assumptions concerning the bubble shape. Such assumptions are usually made based on single bubble experiments in quiescent flows, which is far away from the flow field observed in large-scale multiphase facilities. Considering low Morton-numbers and the highly deformable interface at medium and large Eötvös-numbers, the evaluation of the bubble shape in such systems under real flow conditions is highly desirable. In this study, we experimentally evaluate the bubble shape (in terms of aspect ratio), at low Morton-numbers, in different bubble column setups and a pipe flow setup under different operating conditions. The bubble shape in the bubble column experiments were obtained with cameras at Politecnico di Milano and Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden Rossendorf (HZDR) whereas the shapes in the pipe flows were measured by the ultrafast electron beam X-ray tomography system (ROFEX) at HZDR. In the bubble column experiments almost the same shape is observed; conversely, the shape in the pipe flows distinctly depends on the flow conditions. In conclusion, in bubble columns the assumption of a constant shape regardless of the flow conditions is valid whereas in pipe flows the turbulence and shear rates can be strong enough to deform distinctly the bubbles

The bubble shape in contaminated bubbly flows: Results for different NaCl concentrations in purified water

The bubble shape influences the transfer of momentum and heat/mass between the bubble and the surrounding fluid as well as the flow field around the bubble. The shape is determined by the interaction of the fluid field in the bubble, the physics on the surface, and the surrounding flow field. It is well known that contaminations can disturb the surface physics so that the bubble shape can be influenced. Indeed, an influence of sodium chloride (NaCl) on the hydrodynamics of bubbly flows was shown for air/water systems in previous studies. The aim of the present work is to investigate if, and to what extent, the NaCl concentration affects the bubble shape in bubble columns. For this purpose, several experiments at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf and at the pilot-scale bubble column at the Politecnico di Milano are evaluated. The experiments were executed independently from each other and were evaluated with different methods. All experiments show that the bubble shape is not distinctly affected in the examined concentration range from 0 to 1 M NaCl, which is in contrast to a previous study on single bubbles. Therefore, the effect of NaCl on the hydrodynamics of bubbly flows is not induced by the bubble shape

Experimental study of liquid velocity profiles in large-scale bubble columns with particle tracking velocimetry

Abstract A complete knowledge of the bubble column fluid dynamics relies on understanding the global and the local fluid dynamic properties. Unfortunately, most of the previous literature focused on the “global-scale” fluid dynamics, whereas a limited attention was devoted to the “local-scale”. We contribute to present-day discussion by proposing an experimental study concerning the local liquid velocity profiles within the pseudo-homogeneous flow regime. The experimental study, based on a particle-identification and particle-tracking algorithm, was conducted in a large-diameter and large-scale bubble column (height equal to 5.3 m; inner diameter equal to 0.24 m) operated in the counter-current mode. We considered gas superficial velocities in the range of 0.37-1.88 cm/s and liquid superficial velocities up to −9 cm/s. Time-averaged and transient liquid velocity fields were obtained for five superficial gas velocities and four superficial liquid velocities at two measuring heights. Subsequently, the liquid velocity observations were coupled with previously measured bubble size distributions and local void fractions, to provide a complete description of the “local-scale” fluid dynamics. These data would help in the validation procedure of numerical codes, to support the prediction of industrial-scale relevant conditions.</jats:p

Experimental study of liquid velocity profiles in large-scale bubble columns with particle tracking velocimetry

A complete knowledge of the bubble column fluid dynamics relies on understanding the global and the local fluid dynamic properties. Unfortunately, most of the previous literature focused on the "global-scale" fluid dynamics, whereas a limited attention was devoted to the "local-scale". We contribute to present-day discussion by proposing an experimental study concerning the local liquid velocity profiles within the pseudo-homogeneous flow regime. The experimental study, based on a particle-identification and particle-tracking algorithm, was conducted in a large-diameter and large-scale bubble column (height equal to 5.3 m; inner diameter equal to 0.24 m) operated in the counter-current mode. We considered gas superficial velocities in the range of 0.37-1.88 cm/s and liquid superficial velocities up to -9 cm/s. Time-averaged and transient liquid velocity fields were obtained for five superficial gas velocities and four superficial liquid velocities at two measuring heights. Subsequently, the liquid velocity observations were coupled with previously measured bubble size distributions and local void fractions, to provide a complete description of the "local-scale" fluid dynamics. These data would help in the validation procedure of numerical codes, to support the prediction of industrial-scale relevant conditions