On the interaction of Taylor bubbles rising in two-phase co-current slug flow in vertical columns: turbulent wakes

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2001

Authors

Pinto, AMFR (Author) FEUP; Pinheiro, MNC (Author) Other; Campos, JBL (Author) FEUP

Journal

Title: Experiments in Fluids

Vol. 31

Pages: 643-652

ISSN: 0723-4864

Publisher: Springer Nature

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 26 Citations

ISI Web of Science

Scopus - 30 Citations

COMPENDEX

Scientific classification

FOS: Engineering and technology > Mechanical engineering

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-000-SHJ

DOI: 10.1007/s003480100310

Abstract (EN): An experimental study on the interaction between Taylor bubbles rising through a co-current flowing liquid in a vertical tube with 32 mm of internal diameter is reported. The flow pattern in the bubble's wake was turbulent and the flow regime in the liquid slug was either turbulent or laminar. When the flow regime in the liquid slug is turbulent (i) the minimum distance between bubbles above which there is no interaction is 5D-6D; (ii) the bubble's rising velocity is in excellent agreement with the Nicklin relation; (iii) the experimental values of the bubble length compare well with theoretical predictions (Barnea 1990); (iv) the distance between consecutive bubbles varied from 13D to 16D and is insensitive to the liquid Reynolds number. When the flow regime in the liquid slug is laminar (i) the wake length is about 5D-6D; (ii) the minimum distance between bubbles above which there is no interaction is higher than 25D; (iii) the bubble's rising velocity is significantly smaller than theoretical predictions. These results were explained in the light of the findings of Pinto et al. (1998) on coalescence of two Taylor bubbles rising through a co-current liquid.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 10