Analytical Void Fraction Profile Near the Walls in Low Reynolds Number Bubbly Flows in Pipes: Experimental Comparison and Estimate of the Dispersion Coefficient

Abstract

In a recent paper, we derived an analytical expression for the void fraction profile in low Reynolds number bubbly pipe flows, based on a balance of hydrodynamic forces on bubbles. The objective of the present work is to perform a comparison of this analytical Bubble Force Balance Formula (BFBF) with an experiment from the literature. We begin by simulating this experiment with the NEPTUNE-CFD code. In particular we show that using an Rij-ε model to account for the liquid velocity fluctuations yields reasonable results. In order to compare our analytical profile with experimental measurements, we restrict ourselves to the near-wall region. In this region, the void fraction profile results from a balance between dispersion and wall forces, and the dispersion coefficient can be considered as uniform. The analytical BFBF profile is seen to be in good agreement with the measurements. We are also capable to estimate the dispersion coefficient in this near-wall region.