Study of the growth and motion of graphitic foam bubbles

Abstract

In this paper, a numerical study is carried out to comprehend growth and movement of spherical bubble during foam processing. The numerical model is based on a level set technique for capturing the phase interface. The influences of surface tension, viscosity, pressure and diffusion through the system are monitored and related through simultaneous transfer of energy and mass between the liquid and vapor regions. Incorporating a level set scheme, the present model compares well with previous work. Through the contribution of non-dimensional parameters, a comparative study is performed to investigate and predict the effect of varying initial bubble radius and pressure as well as liquid viscosity. The predicted results shed light on the carbon foam formation, which will assist the achievement of tailoring carbon foams.