Cavitation and bubble dynamics: the Kelvin impulse and its applications

Area of Science:

• Fluid Dynamics
• Acoustics
• Engineering Physics

Background:

• Cavitation and bubble dynamics are crucial in diverse fields like engineering, medicine, and oil exploration.
• The Kelvin impulse, a fundamental concept, offers unique insights into fluid dynamics problems.
• Previous work by Benjamin and Ellis (1966) highlighted the importance of Kelvin impulse over fluid momentum in cavitation studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the Kelvin impulse from first principles.
• To utilize the Kelvin impulse for physical insights into cavitation bubble dynamics near boundaries.
• To provide predictions of bubble collapse behavior and compare them with experimental data.

Main Methods:

• Derivation of the Kelvin impulse from fundamental principles.
• Analysis of cavitation bubble dynamics near various boundaries (rigid, free surface, two-fluid, flexible).
• Computational modeling and comparison with experimental results for bubble collapse.

Main Results:

• The Kelvin impulse provides enhanced physical insight into cavitation bubble dynamics.
• Accurate predictions of bubble collapse behavior, including jet formation, were achieved.
• Validation of computational methods through comparison with experimental observations.

Conclusions:

• The Kelvin impulse is a powerful tool for understanding and predicting cavitation and bubble dynamics.
• This approach offers practical benefits for engineering and industrial design.
• Further research includes studying ultrasound effects on bubble jets and modeling translating bubble collapse.