Numerical Simulation of Bubbles Contaminated With Soluble Surfactant

An interface tracking method for predicting motions of bubbles contaminated with soluble surfactants is presented. A level set method is utilized to track the interface. Transportations of surfactants in the bulk liquid and those at the interface are taken into account. The amount of adsorption and desorption is evaluated by using the Frumkin & Levich model. Simulations of bubbles contaminated with soluble surfactants are carried out, i.e., single air bubbles rising through stagnant water, Taylor bubbles in a vertical pipe filled with water, and a wobbling bubble in a vertical duct. As a result, the following conclusions are obtained: (1) the increase in drag coefficients of spherical bubbles due to the presence of surfactant, i.e. Marangoni effect, is well predicted, (2) surfactants mainly accumulate at the rear edge of a Taylor bubble and the Marangoni effect is very small in the nose region at high Eotvos and low Morton numbers, and therefore, the effects of surfactant on the bubble rising velocity are small in low viscosity systems, and (3) the surfactant concentration is low in the top region of a wobbling bubble, whereas it is high in the bottom region. The peak concentration appears at the side edge of the bubble and the location of the peak concentration moves with the bubble and wake movements.Copyright © 2011 by JSME