Ocean bubbles under high wind conditions. Part 1: Bubble distribution and development

The bubbles generated by breaking waves are of considerable scientific interest due to their influence on air-sea gas transfer, aerosol production, and upper ocean optics and acoustics. However, a detailed understanding of the processes creating deeper bubble plumes (extending 2–10 metres below the ocean surface) and their significance for air-sea gas exchange is still lacking. Here, we present bubble measurements from the HiWinGS expedition in the North Atlantic in 2013, collected during several storms with wind speeds of 10–27 m s−1. A suite of instruments was used to measure bubbles from a self-orienting free-floating spar buoy: a specialised bubble camera, acoustical resonators, and an upward-pointing sonar. The focus in this paper is on bubble void fractions and plume structure. The results are consistent with the presence of a heterogeneous shallow bubble layer occupying the top 1–2 m of the ocean which is regularly replenished by breaking waves, and deeper plumes which are only formed from the shallow layer at the convergence zones of Langmuir circulation. These advection events are not directly connected to surface breaking. The void fraction distributions at 2 m depth show a sharp cut-off at a void fraction of 10−4.5 even in the highest winds, implying the existence of mechanisms limiting the void fractions close to the surface. Below wind speeds of 16 m s−1 or RHw = 2 × 106, the probability distribution of void fraction at 2 m depth is very similar in all conditions, but increases significantly above either threshold. Void fractions are significantly different during periods of rising and falling winds, but there is no distinction with wave age. There is a complex near-surface flow structure due to Langmuir circulation, Stokes drift, and wind-induced current shear which influences the spatial distribution of bubbles within the top few metres. We do not see evidence for slow bubble dissolution as bubbles are carried downwards, implying that collapse is the more likely termination process. We conclude that the shallow and deeper bubble layers need to be studied simultaneously to link them to the 3D flow patterns in the top few metres of the ocean. Many open questions remain about the extent to which deep bubble plumes contribute to air-sea gas transfer. A companion paper (Czerski, 2021) addresses the observed bubble size distributions and the processes responsible for them.

Ocean bubbles under high wind conditions. Part 2: Bubble size distributions and implications for models of bubble dynamics

Bubbles formed by breaking waves in the open ocean influence many surface processes but are poorly understood. We report here on detailed bubble size distributions measured during the High Wind Speed Gas Exchange Study (HiWinGS) in the North Atlantic, during four separate storms with hourly averaged wind speeds from 10–27 m s−1. The measurements focus on the deeper plumes formed by advection downwards (at 2 m depth and below), rather than the initial surface distributions. Our results suggest that bubbles reaching a depth of 2 m have already evolved to form a heterogeneous but statistically stable population in the top 1–2 metres of the ocean. These shallow bubble populations are carried downwards by coherent near-surface circulations; bubble evolution at greater depths is consistent with control by local gas saturation, surfactant coatings and pressure. We find that at 2 m the maximum bubble radius observed has a very weak wind speed dependence and is too small to be explained by simple buoyancy arguments. For void fractions greater than 10−6, bubble size distributions at 2 m can be fitted by a two-slope power law (with slopes of −0.3 for bubbles of radius < 80 μm and −4.4 for larger sizes). If normalised by void fraction, these distributions collapse to a very narrow range, implying that the bubble population is relatively stable and the void fraction is determined by bubbles spreading out in space rather than changing their size over time. In regions with these relatively high void fractions we see no evidence for slow bubble dissolution. When void fractions are below 10−6, the peak volume of the bubble size distribution is more variable, and can change systematically across a plume at lower wind speeds, tracking the void fraction. Relatively large bubbles (80 μm in radius) are observed to persist for several hours in some cases, following periods of very high wind. Our results suggest that local gas supersaturation around the bubble plume may have a strong influence on bubble lifetime, but significantly, the deep plumes themselves cannot be responsible for this supersaturation. We propose that the supersaturation is predominately controlled by the dissolution of bubbles in the top metre of the ocean, and that this bulk water is then drawn downwards, surrounding the deep bubble plume and influencing its lifetime. In this scenario, oxygen uptake is associated with deep bubble plumes, but is not driven directly by them. We suggest that as bubbles move to depths greater than 2 m, sudden collapse may be more significant as a bubble destruction mechanism than slow dissolution, especially in regions of high void fraction. Finally, we present a proposal for the processes and timescales which form and control these deeper bubble plumes.

3D gas-liquid interfaces and flow characteristics of two-phase flows in horizontal tubes

In order to investigate the characteristics of gas-liquid two-phase flows in horizontal mini circular tubes with inner diameters of 3.14 and 6.68 mm, a prism is adopted to improve the light path in the visualization experimental setup. The front and top views of air-water two-phase flow patterns in two tubes are captured synchronously based on the improved method. Three-dimensional gas-liquid interfaces, flow pattern maps, and void fraction are obtained. The experimental results show that tube diameters have significant effects on flow patterns transition lines in the flow pattern maps, but the void fractions are independent on channel sizes. The effect of gravity gradually decreases with decreasing tube diameter, while that of surface tension is enhanced. As a consequence, the proportion of annular flow in flow pattern map increases in mini tubes, while the reverse is true for the stratified flow whose proportion decreases dramatically in mini channels. The void fraction increases with increasing gas quality. Experimental void fractions obtained using the three-dimensional gas-liquid interfaces fit well with correlations in the open literature. The shape of PDF distributions varies with flow patterns, which could be used to identify flow patterns in industrial applications.

ANALYTIC SOLUTIONS OF A TWO-FLUID HYDRODYNAMIC MODEL

We investigate a one dimensional flow described with the non-compressible coupled Euler and non-compressible Navier-Stokes equations in the Cartesian coordinate system. We couple the two fluids through the continuity equation where different void fractions can be considered. The well-known self-similar Ansatz was applied and analytic solutions were derived for both velocity and pressure field as well.

Study on Local Sub-Cooling Boiling in the Vertical Upward Pipe

In the heat transfer pipes of nuclear reactors with complex mass and heat exchange, there exists phenomenon of local sub-cooling boiling. Based on the Eulerian two-fluid model, this paper studied the local sub-cooling boiling phenomenon in the vertical upward pipe at a pressure of 4.5MPa. Firstly, a closed sub-cooling boiling model was built to make comparison with the existing experimental results of Bartolomei, the result of which is in great agreement with the experimental data. What’s more, the parameters of the experimental working conditions were expanded, it helped to analyze data that could not be directly measured in the experiment. The physical mechanism behind data distribution law mainly included the influence of the wall bubble departure diameter, the wall bubble departure frequency, and nucleation density. It is found that the RPI model has a good predictive ability for the liquid temperature field. The nucleation density model corresponding to KI combined with the wall departure diameter model KI can well predict the distribution of the void fractions in the pipe. Finally, the influence on heat and mass transfer of heating power along the pipe was analyzed. This paper put forward suggestions for the modification of the sub-cooling boiling model to help it predict the distribution of bubbles in the main flow region more precise.

Experimental Study on Flow Behavior of Unshrouded Impeller Centrifugal Pumps under Inlet Air Entrainment Condition

Results on overall pump head and efficiency performance, pressure pulsation and high speed camera visualization of flow patterns behavior are presented for different inlet air-water void fractions at a given rotational speed. With the increase of inlet void fractions and decrease of the flow rates, the size of bubbles increase and tend to agglomerate in specific impeller passage locations along the blade chord. The starting point of pump breakdown is related to a strong inward reverse flow occurring in a specific location near the shroud gap of the impeller and volute tongue region. Using a constant air void fraction value of 2%, pressure pulsation frequency results are analyzed in relation with local flow mixture patterns and flow rate modification.

Experimental Study on Void Fractions and Pressure Drops in Three-Phase Flow for Deep Sea Mining

Subsea minerals exist in the deep water within Japan’s exclusive economic zone. There are many technical issues which should be addressed for subsea mining. The air-lift pumping systems are one of promising methods for subsea minerals transport. Flow assurance for three-phase flow is important to design the air-lift pumping system for subsea mining. It is important to establish methods for estimating void fractions and frictional pressure drops. To establish the methods for three-phase flow, we reviewed previous studies for two- or three-phase flow. There are some models to estimate the void fractions such as slip flow model and drift flux model. There are also some models to estimate the frictional pressure drops such as homogeneous model and separated flow model. We calculated void fractions and frictional pressure drops by existing correlation and compared calculated results with experimental data in two- or three-phase flow. In addition, we proposed the methods for estimating the void fractions and frictional pressure drops in three-phase flow. These had fewer number of experimental constants than existing correlations, these could calculate void fractions and frictional pressure drops in more various conditions than existing correlations.

Effect of the Inlet Gas Void Fraction on the Work Performance of the Multiphase Pump at Different Cavitation Stages

The inlet gas void fraction (IGVF) has a great effect on the power performance of the multiphase pump, and the effect is even greater under the cavitation condition. To reveal the effect of the IGVF on the cavitation evolution and the work performance of the multiphase pump at different cavitation stages, the cavitation flow was calculated numerically for the pump under different inlet gas void fractions (IGVFs) of 0%, 10% and 20%. Meanwhile, the numerical simulation method was verified experimentally. The results showed that the increase of the IGVF could improve the cavitation performance of the multiphase pump and inhibit the increasing rate of the vapor. With the aggravation of the cavitation, the output power of the impeller decreased gradually under different IGVFs. In addition, the variation trend of the output power and the net energy gained by the fluid within each domain were exactly the same. At the same time, the position of better work performance was located in the impeller fore area at the critical and serious cavitation stages, while when the cavitation developed to the fracture cavitation, the position of better work performance moved to the impeller back area. At the fracture cavitation stage, the main work region of the multiphase pump moved from the back area to the fore area of the impeller with the increase of the IGVF. The research results are of great significance in improving the performance of the multiphase pump.

Air-Water Flow Properties in Hydraulic Jumps with Fully and Partially Developed Inflow Conditions

Novel air-water flow measurements were conducted in fully aerated hydraulic jumps with partially and fully developed supercritical inflow conditions. Irrespective of the inflow conditions, the hydraulic jumps resembled typical flow patterns with strong aeration and instabilities, albeit hydraulic jumps with fully developed inflow conditions had a more upwards directed roller motion and a larger clear water core in the second half of the roller. Hydraulic jumps with fully developed inflow conditions had comparatively larger void fractions in the first half of the jump roller and larger bubble count rates throughout, while a comparatively larger number of smaller bubble sizes suggested a stronger break-up of bubbles. This was consistent with slightly larger interfacial velocities and turbulence intensities in the first half of the jump roller with fully developed inflow conditions. An assessment of the required sampling duration for air-water flow properties indicated the requirement to sample for at least five times longer duration than applied in previous studies. These results highlighted the need to carefully consider the inflow conditions and sampling parameters for aerated hydraulic jumps.

Flow Patterns of Oil-Gas and Pressure Gradients in Near-Horizontal Flow Pipeline: Experimental Investigation Using Differential Pressure Transducers

The current investigation aimed to identify pressure gradients and to study the fully developed flow patterns of oil-gas as a blend in a pipe of internal diameter 50 mm and 6 m length with different orientations of 0, 30, and 45-degree. The study was performed at constant values of liquid superficial velocities 0.052, 0.157, 0.262, 0.314, 0.419, and 0.524 m/s, and inlet superficial velocities of gas were ranged from 0.05 to 4.7 m/s at atmospheric pressure. Two pressure transducers located up and downstream were used to measure pressure drops inside the tested pipe. Flow patterns were derived by using the correlation between pressure gradients and time series, the Probability Density Function of differential pressures, pressure gradients with gas superficial velocities, and total pressure losses with mean void fractions. The flow patterns of oil-gas were observed as a uniform stratified flow in the pipe on a 0-degree orientation at various superficial velocities. Stratified, wavy, and slug flow patterns were observed at 30-degree orientation, whereas, bubbly, slug, and churn flow patterns were observed in the pipe of 45-degree orientation. The experiment also showed that pressure drop gradients decreased with increased void fractions, gas superficial velocities, and degree rotations of the flow lines. Finally, the validation of using pressure transducers as a technique for estimating the flow patterns of two-phase flow showed acceptable results with some kind of patterns.