Methane Bubble Size Distributions, Flux, and Dissolution in a Freshwater Lake

A two phase bubbly flow through a packed bed was studied for dominant bubble breakup and coalescence mechanisms through experiments and CFD modeling. Data on various two-phase parameters, such as local void fraction, bubble velocity, size, number, and shape were obtained from the high speed video images. Results indicated that when a flow regime changed from bubbly to either trickling or pulsing flow, the number of average size bubbles significantly decreased and the shape of majority of bubbles was no longer spherical. The bubble coalescence and breakup mechanisms depend on local conditions such as local velocity of the bubble and pore geometry. The CFD analysis using CFX software package was carried out to study bubble size distributions. In the analysis the models for interactions were examined for each case of bubble breakup flow and bubble coalescence. A comparative study was performed on the resulting bubble size distributions, breakup and coalescence rates estimated by individual models. For change of bubble size distributions along the axial direction medians was used as an comparative parameter and the CFD results on bubble medians were compared against the experimental data. This comparative study showed that the predictions estimated by CFD analyses with the bubble breakup and coalescence models currently available in the literature do not agree with the experimental data.

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Measurements of Gas Bubble Size Distributions in Flowing Liquid Mercury

Volume 2: Fora ◽

10.1115/fedsm2012-72015 ◽

2012 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Mark Wendel ◽

Bernard Riemer ◽

Ashraf Abdou

Keyword(s):

Bubble Size ◽

High Speed ◽

National Laboratory ◽

Size Distributions ◽

Flow Loop ◽

Proton Beam Irradiation ◽

Flowing Liquid ◽

Cavitation Damage ◽

Oak Ridge ◽

Liquid Mercury

Pressure waves created in liquid mercury pulsed spallation targets have been shown to induce cavitation damage on the target container. One way to mitigate such damage would be to absorb the pressure pulse energy into a dispersed population of small bubbles, however, measuring such a population in mercury is difficult since it is opaque and the mercury is involved in a turbulent flow. Ultrasonic measurements have been attempted on these types of flows, but the flow noise can interfere with the measurement, and the results are unverifiable and often unrealistic. Recently, a flow loop was built and operated at Oak Ridge National Labarotory to assess the capability of various bubbler designs to deliver an adequate population of bubbles to mitigate cavitation damage. The invented diagnostic technique involves flowing the mercury with entrained gas bubbles in a steady state through a horizontal piping section with a glass-window observation port located on the top. The mercury flow is then suddenly stopped and the bubbles are allowed to settle on the glass due to buoyancy. Using a bright-field illumination and a high-speed camera, the arriving bubbles are detected and counted, and then the images can be processed to determine the bubble populations. After using this technique to collect data on each bubbler, bubble size distributions were built for the purpose of quantifying bubbler performance, allowing the selection of the best bubbler options. This paper presents the novel procedure, photographic technique, sample visual results and some example bubble size distributions. The best bubbler options were subsequently used in proton beam irradiation tests performed at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. The cavitation damage results from the irradiated test plates in contact with the mercury are available for correlation with the bubble populations. The most effective mitigating population can now be designed into prototypical geometries for implementation into an actual SNS target.

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