Euler-Euler LES of bubble column bubbly flows by considering sub-grid scale turbulent dispersion effect on modulating bubble transport

It has now been recognised and generally accepted that turbulent dispersion may be modelled using the time average of the fluctuating part of the interphase momentum, employing the drag the Favre averaged drag model for turbulent dispersion in Eulerian multi-phase flows. As the turbulent eddies in the surrounding of bubbles interact strongly with the bubbles in bubbly flow, the bubble trajectories and bubble oscillation take place accordingly as the consequence of continuous deformation of the bubble surfaces. When using large eddy simulation for modelling bubbly flow, the sub-grid scale (SGS) filtered velocity fluctuations of liquid phase can be interpreted as many small eddies that may act on the surface of bubbles, consequently giving rise to bubble shape variations and the dispersion of bubbles. This study employs Euler/Euler large-eddy simulation (LES) modelling to demonstrate that the turbulent dispersion force model can be used to effectively indicate the influence of turbulent eddies on bubble dynamics, in particular the bubble cluster oscillations, which leads to remarkable improvements in the prediction of bubble lateral dispersion behaviour. The use of spatial filtering to model the SGS bubble dispersion is proposed with a modification on SGS eddy viscosity to reflect turbulent dispersion due to bubble induced turbulence. The results of the time-averaged LES modelled bubble velocities and bubble volume fraction profiles are in good agreement with the experimental data while the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum obtained at different locations on the centreline of the bubble column still exhibits the conventional -5/3 scaling for shear induced turbulence and a -3 scaling for bubble induced turbulence.

Automated summary

The study demonstrates that the turbulent dispersion force model can effectively indicate the influence of turbulent eddies on bubble dynamics, leading to improvements in the prediction of bubble lateral dispersion behavior. The use of spatial filtering to model sub-grid scale bubble dispersion is proposed.