The diffusion stability of an externally driven cavitation bubble in micro-confinement

Abstract

The diffusion stability of a single cavitation bubble in a spherical liquid cell surrounded by an infinite elastic solid is considered. The time-periodic pressure in the solid far away from the liquid cell is used as an external driving, which initiates bubble oscillations along with the gas diffusion process in the bubble-in-cell system. The work is based on the engineering approximation according to which the bubble growth/reduction is considered on average, assuming that during the period of the external driving the mass of gas in the bubble does not noticeably change. This theory predicts the existence of stably oscillating bubbles in confined liquid undergoing an external driving force. Three possible diffusion regimes are revealed: 1) total bubble dissolution, 2) partial bubble dissolution, and 3) partial bubble growth, where the last two regimes provide the diffusion stability in the bubble-in-cell system. The parametric study of the influence of the gas concentration dissolved in the liquid on the resulting stable bubble size is conducted. The obtained results are compared with the results for the case of the stable bubble oscillations in the pressure sound field in a bulk (infinite) liquid. The theoretical findings of the present study can be used for improvement of the modern applications of ultrasound technology.