Numerical study of Taylor bubble breakup in counter-current flow using large eddy simulation

Kren, Jan (author), Frederix, E. M. A. (author), Tiselj, Iztok (author), Mikuž, Blaž (author)

This paper investigates dynamics of Taylor bubble in counter-current flows, leveraging large eddy simulations combined with the volume of fluid method. Utilizing the OpenFOAM framework, we have implemented a high-order Runge–Kutta time-integration scheme, along with a piecewise linear interface calculation method for precise geometric reconstruction of the bubble interface. We examine the performance of algebraic vs geometric capturing techniques in the context of Taylor bubble breakup, focusing specifically on the transitional flow regime with a liquid Reynolds number of 1400. Our results reveal that the geometric capturing technique offers superior accuracy, improving our understanding of the breakup process and providing valuable insight for multiphase flow simulations in various engineering fields. Our study also reveals the emergence of a secondary vortex in the turbulent wake region behind the Taylor bubble, a phenomenon most prominent at finer mesh resolutions. This vortex represents a novel discovery in counter-current Taylor bubble flows.

• Language: English
• Keywords: computer simulation, computational fluid dynamics, flow simulations, fluid flows, multiphase flows, turbulence simulations, turbulent flows, bubble breakup, bubble dynamics, vortex dynamics
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FMF - Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2024
• Number of pages: 17 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 36, iss. 2, art. 023311
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-164663
• UDC: 621.039
• ISSN on article: 1070-6631
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0186236
• COBISS.SI-ID: 184599299
• Publication date in RUL: 06.11.2024

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Physics of fluids
• Shortened title: Phys. fluids
• Publisher: AIP Publishing
• ISSN: 1070-6631
• COBISS.SI-ID: 37828865

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0026
• Name: Reaktorska tehnika

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Funding programme: Young researchers