Effects of Two Phase Turbulent Structure Interactions on Phase Distribution In Bubbly Pipe Flows

Abstract

The present work proposes simplified correlations between the turbulent structures of both phases so that the numerical simulation from first principles can be performed by using an Eulerian-Lagrangian approach. For the liquid phase, the conservation equations are solved by Eulerian approach. A Lagrangian, random walk approach is employed to determine the instantaneous velocities of gas bubbles, which are tracked by solving their equations of motion. The phasic distributions as well as mean and fluctuating flow fields are successfully predicted as compared to measurements. It is also found that turbulent properties of both phases are important to the phase distribution mechanism of two-phase bubbly flows. A correlation function is recommended to describe the relationship between the turbulent kinetic energies of the gas and liquid phases so that satisfactory prediction can be achieved.