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The hydrodynamics of bubble rise and impact with solid surfaces
Rogerio Manica1, Evert Klaseboer1, Derek Y C Chan2
1Institute of High Performance Computing, 1 Fusionopolis Way, 138632, Singapore.
Advances in Colloid and Interface Science
|July 6, 2016
Summary
Small bubbles rising in water reach a steady speed due to buoyancy and drag. Their bouncing behavior on surfaces involves complex forces, with thin film drainage obeying lubrication theory.
Area of Science:
- Fluid dynamics
- Colloid science
- Surface physics
Background:
- Bubble dynamics in liquids are governed by forces like buoyancy, drag, and surface tension.
- The air-water interface properties significantly influence bubble terminal velocity and behavior.
- Bubble impact and bouncing on solid surfaces involve intricate interactions and thin film phenomena.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the physics of small bubble (radius < 1mm) impact and bouncing on solid surfaces.
- To analyze the forces involved, including colloidal, inertial, elastic, surface tension, and viscous forces.
- To bridge the understanding between low Reynolds number (colloidal) and high Reynolds number (fluid dynamics) regimes.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing high-speed photography for millisecond-scale observation of bubble rise, deformation, and impact.
- Employing interferometry to visualize thin film drainage dynamics during bubble bouncing.
- Developing a combined force balance and lubrication theory model for quantitative analysis.
Main Results:
- Terminal speeds of rising bubbles vary significantly based on interface mobility and system purity.
- Experimental observations confirm that thin film drainage follows lubrication theory for micro- to millimeter-sized bubbles.
- A model integrating force balance and lubrication theory allows parameter-free quantitative comparison with experimental data.
Conclusions:
- Bubble impact and bouncing exhibit complex physics governed by multiple force types.
- Lubrication theory accurately describes thin film drainage in bubble-surface interactions.
- A unified model successfully quantifies bubble dynamics across different flow regimes and conditions.
Keywords:
Bubble deformationBubble surface interactionMobile–immobile interfacesTerminal velocityThin film drainageYoung–Laplace equationMore Related Videos
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