A numerical study of parameters affecting gas bubble dissolution

Abstract The mass transfer driven dissolution of a gas bubble containing either a single component or a multicomponent mixture, and which can include the presence of a nonsoluble gas, is analyzed by a finite difference procedure. Various effects including surface tension, gas expansion, and the presence of solvent vapor are examined. The predicted results with inclusion of these effects compare favorably with available experimental data and are compared with the results obtained using approximate solutions. For multicomponent gas bubble dissolution, it is found that the conventional assumption that neglects the gas expansion effect inside the bubble may lead to an erroneous prediction of the time-dependent bubble radius and concentration. The dissolution process is initially governed by solubility. However, at large times, the diffusivity and the concentration difference in the liquid are important. For a bubble containing a nonsoluble gas, the results show that even a small amount of this species will alter the behavior of bubble shrinkage. The final radius is dependent upon the content of the nonsoluble gas and the saturation condition of the liquid.