The release of air bubbles from an underwater nozzle

Abstract

Air bubbles released from an underwater nozzle emit an acoustical pulse that is of interest both for the study of bubble detachment and for elucidating the mechanism of sound generation by a newly formed bubble. In this paper, the sequence of bubble shapes is calculated theoretically from a given nozzle, and it is shown that there is for each nozzle a bubble of maximum volume Vmax. Assuming that the bubble becomes detached at its “neck,” and that the volume of the detached bubble equals the volume V* of the undetached bubble above its “neck,” it is determined for each nozzle diameter D an acoustic frequency f* corresponding to “slow” bubble release. Experiments show that the acoustic frequency, hence the bubble size, depends on the rate of air flow to the bubble, but for slow rates of flow the frequency f is very close to the theoretical frequency f*. High-speed photographs suggest that when the bubble pinches off, the limiting form of the surface is almost a cone. This is accounted for by assuming a line sink along the axis of symmetry. Immediately following pinch off, there is evidence of the formation of an axial jet going upward into the bubble. This may play a part in stimulating the emission of sound.