Dynamics of a single free-settling spherical particle driven by a laser-induced bubble near a rigid boundary

Abstract

We systematically investigate the dynamics of a free-settling particle driven by a laser-induced bubble near a rigid boundary. Two types of particle-bubble interaction are identified, in terms of the intensity of the influence of the boundary on the particle-bubble dynamics. Two important phenomena where the particle ends up impacting on the boundary at a relatively high velocity are discovered, which provide a potential mechanism for enhanced cavitation erosion in sand-laden water.