Numerical simulation of bubbly two-phase flow in a narrow channel

Abstract

An advanced numerical simulation method on fluid dynamics – lattice-Boltzmann (LB) method is employed to simulate the movement of Taylor bubbles in a narrow channel, and to investigate the flow regimes of two-phase flow in narrow channels under adiabatic conditions. The calculated average thickness of the fluid film between the Taylor bubble and the channel wall agree well with the classical analytical correlation developed by Bretherton. The numerical simulation of the behavior of the flow regime transition in a narrow channel shows that the body force has significant effect on the movement of bubbles with different sizes. Smaller body force always leads to the later coalescence of the bubbles, and decreases the flow regime transition time. The calculations show that the surface tension of the fluid has little effect on the flow regime transition behavior within the assumed range of the surface tension. The bubbly flow with different bubble sizes will gradually change into the slug flow regime. However, the bubbly flow regime with the same bubble size may be maintained if no perturbations on the bubble movement occur. The slug flow regime will not change if no phase change occurs at the two-phase interface.