Simulation analysis of bubble coalescence behavior characteristics in Newtonian fluids based on the phase field method

Abstract

Gas-liquid two-phase flow is widely used in various fields of chemical production because of its stability. The bubble coalescence behavior significantly impacts bubbles’ size, shape, and movement. These parameters are essential for interphase mass, heat transfer processes, and equipment performance. This paper presents a simulation study of the bubble coalescence behavior of Newtonian fluids using the phase field method through simulation software. The relative location of bubbles were divided into three types: vertical, parallel and random; and also the distribution of bubbles can be divided into three cases: symmetric, left-skewed and right-skewed. This paper focuses on the influence of the arrangements of the bubbles on their coalescence behavior in Newtonian fluids. The results show that the relative distance of bubbles is the crucial factor for the occurrence of bubble coalescence in Newtonian fluids, and different distributions show different laws on the motion of bubbles.