Modelling Fluid Dynamics and Mass Transfer in Bubble Plumes using Lagrangian Particle Tracking

Abstract

A solver was developed in OpenFOAM to simulate fluid dynamics and gas dissolution in bubble plumes. The solver uses Lagrangian particle tracking (LPT) to resolve the motion of individual bubbles or bubbles grouped into parcels. Interphase momentum exchange models are used to provide two-way coupling between the motion of the bubbles and the surrounding liquid. The volume-of-fluid (VOF) method is used to track the position of the gas-liquid free surface. The performance of the hybrid LPT-VOF solver was verified using several theoretical test cases. Solver validation employed three bubble plume validation cases with experimental data from the literature: small-scale vertical injection, small-scale horizontal injection, and large-scale vertical injection. Overall, the predicted results are in good agreement with the experimental results. Although the solver predicts reasonable results, it has limitations on the implemented interphase momentum and mass exchange methods, averaging techniques, and has not been tested for non-uniform bubble size distributions.