Morphology-Adaptive Euler–Euler Modeling of Bubbly Multiphase Flows
Please login to view abstract download link
Flow structures arising in industrial applications typically feature both small and large scales, such as small bubbles, large bubbles or other air-water interfaces. The fact that the size of these structures evolve in time and are not known a priori, complicate the selection of an appropriate numerical method. This is addressed by morphology-adaptive methods. They support multiple morphologies and adapt to the local resolution of a given scale. This allows a wide range of applications and a reduction of computational costs compared to fully resolved direct numerical simulations is expected if integral quantities are of interest. The MultiMorph model provides a suitable framework for the treatment of such hybrid multiphase flows. The present study contributes to the adaptive modeling of bubbly flows in this context. An approach is proposed for the transition from an unresolved, statistically based Euler–Euler description to a resolved, volume-of-fluid-type interface representation. This methodology is combined with an approach for the reverse transition, the disintegration from resolved to unresolved flow structures. The coupling to a Population Balance Model is realized to track bubble size distributions. The method is demonstrated for monodisperse and polydisperse bubbly flow scenarios.
