Title: Numerical simulation of single elongated bubble propagation in inclined pipes

Authors: Jinsong Hua; Morten Langsholt; Chris Lawrence

Addresses: Institute for Energy Technology, Department of Process and Fluid Flow Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway ' Institute for Energy Technology, Department of Process and Fluid Flow Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway ' Institute for Energy Technology, Department of Process and Fluid Flow Technology, P.O. Box 40, NO-2027 Kjeller, Norway

Abstract: Volume of Fluid (VOF) method was applied to investigate the hydrodynamics of single elongated bubble propagation in inclined pipes. Specially, a moving reference frame attached to the bubble nose was implemented in ANSYS FLUENT. The CFD model was validated with experimental data on the bubble rising speed in inclined pipes with stagnant liquid. The model performance with various turbulence models was studied. The effects of pipe inclination on bubble shape, propagation speed, velocity profile and wall shear stress distribution were analysed. The effect of flowing liquid on the bubble propagating hydrodynamics was also investigated.

Keywords: CFD; computational fluid dynamics; moving reference frame; two-phase flow; slug flow; elongated bubbles; inclined pipes; volume of fluid; VOF; hydrodynamics; turbulence modelling; bubble shape; propagation speed; velocity profile; wall shear stress distribution.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2012.047456

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2012 Vol.12 No.2/3, pp.131 - 139

Published online: 25 Nov 2014 *

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