Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulations of Taylor Bubble Rise in Flowing Liquids

Abstract

Systematic analysis of the effect of gravitational, interfacial, viscous and inertia forces acting on a Taylor bubble rising in flowing liquids characterised by the dimensionless Froude (Uc), inverse viscosity (Nf ) and Eötvös numbers (Eo) is carried out using computational fluid dynamic finite element method. Particular attention is paid to cocurrent (i.e upward) liquid flow and the influence of the characterising dimensionless parameters on the bubble rise velocity and morphology analysed for Nf, Eo and Uc ranging between [40, 100], [20, 300] and [−0.20, 0.20], respectively. Analysis of the results of the numerical simulations showed that the existing theoretical model for the prediction of Taylor bubble rise velocity in upward flowing liquids could be modified to accurately predict the rise velocity in liquids with high viscous and surface tension effects. Furthermore, the mechanism governing the change in morphology of the bubble in flowing liquids was shown to be the interplay between the viscous stress and total curvature stress at the interface. Keywords: Taylor bubble, finite element, slug flow, CFD, rise velocity