Microgravity Sci.

Technol (2008) 20:247–251

DOI 10.1007/s12217-008-9026-3

Numerical Simulation of Bubble Dynamics

in Microgravity
Lin Pu · Huixiong Li · Xiao Lv · Jianfu Zhao ·
Tingkuan Chen · Yuqin Zhu

Received: 29 February 2008 / Accepted: 9 May 2008 / Published online: 25 June 2008
© Springer Science + Business Media B.V. 2008

Abstract A numerical method for the simulation of Nomenclature

two-phase flows under microgravity conditions is pre-
sented in this paper. The level set method is combined AE coefficient respect to the point(i+1,j)
with the moving mesh method in a collocated grid to AN coefficient respect to the point(i,j+1)
capture the moving interfaces of the two-phase flow, Ap coefficient respect to the point(i,j)
and a SIMPLER-based method is employed to numer- AS coefficient respect to the point(i,j-1)
ically solve the complete incompressible Navier-Stokes AW coefficient respect to the point(i-1,j)
equations, and the surface tension force is modeled H heaviside function
by a continuum surface force approximation. Based J Jacob of transformation
on the numerical results, the coalescence process of k curvature
two bubbles under microgravity conditions (10−2 ×g) is P pressure (Pa)
compared to that under normal gravity, and the effect S source term
of gravities on the bubbles coalescence dynamics is U contravariant velocity normal to the ξ
analyzed. It is showed that the velocity fields inside and (m/s)
around the bubbles under different gravity conditions V contravariant velocity normal to the η
are quite similar, but the strength of vortices behind (m/s)
the bubbles in the normal gravity is much stronger than u velocity normal to x (m/s)
that under microgravity conditions. It is also found that v velocity normal to y (m/s)
under microgravity conditions, the time for two bub- ·
x mesh velocity in x direction (m/s)
bles coalescence is much longer, and the deformation ·
y mesh velocity in y direction (m/s)
of bubbles is much less, than that under the normal
gravity. η curvilinear coordinate (m)
ξ curvilinear coordinate (m)
Keywords Level set method · Moving mesh method · ρ density (kg/m3 )
Collocated grid · Microgravity Subscript
l liquid
v vapor
ξ partial differentiation with respect to ξ
η partial differentiation with respect to η
L. Pu · H. Li (B) · X. Lv · J. Zhao · T. Chen · Y. Zhu τ artificial time
State Key Laboratory of Multiphase Flow in Power Superscripts
Engineering, Department of Thermal Engineering,
n time step n
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Xi’an Jiaotong
University, Xi’an, Shaanxi, China n+1 time step n+1
e-mail: huixiong@mail.xjtu.edu.cn * intermediate time
248
Introduction
Efficient and accurate computation of two-phase flow
problems have great value in various industrial and
engineering applications, such as energy and power
engineering, cryogenic and refrigeration engineering,
mechanical engineering, chemical industry, nuclear
reactor, oil industry, and so on.
Two-phase flows existed in space engineering have
been attracting much attention. For example, two-
phase flow loops are used in the thermal management
systems in advanced spacecrafts, and are also employed
in the transfer of cryogenic propellants (de Jong and
Gabriel 2003). Boiling heat transfer in microgravity
is one of the most important research topics that are
essential to aerospace technology (Xiao et al. 2003).
A great deal of research has been fulfilled to establish
the flow patterns of gas-liquid two-phase flows under
microgravity (Lowe and Rezkallah 1999; Dukker et al.
1988; Colin and Fabra 1995; Rezkallah 1996; Song
Microgravity Sci. Technol (2008) 20:247–251
of a time-evolving solutions. The numerical analysis is
done by solving the complete incompressible Navier-
Stokes equations in a collocated adaptive grid system.
During the computation, velocities of the fluids are
corrected by using a velocity-correction formula, and
the computation proceeds to convergence via a series of
correction procedures so as to make the velocity fields
satisfy the continuity of the fluids.
Governing Equations
All the governing equations are transformed into the
form formulated in curvilinear coordinates.
The momentum equations in the x-coordinate:
⎡ ⎤
∂u  
J + u (u − ẋ)yη − (v − ẏ)xη ⎦
ρ⎣ ∂t  ξ  = −yη pξ + yξ pη
+uη −(u − ẋ)yξ + (v − ẏ)xξ
 μ
 

1995). As more and more scientific and engineering + x2η + y2η uξ − xξ yξ +xη yη uη
applications come into being, the studies of two-phase J ξ
flows under microgravity become more and more im-  μ


 
+ x2ξ + y2ξ uη − xξ yξ + xη yη uξ + Fx
portant. First, it can provide data for the design of the J η
thermal management processes and for the testing of
(1)
space-based hardware. Second, It helps to make better
understanding of gas-liquid two-phase flows occurred
The momentum equations in the y-coordinate:
in the normal gravity. Third, the study of the two-phase
flow under microgravity can also improve the study of ⎡    ⎤
∂v · ·
two-phase flows on the earth. ⎢J + v ξ u − x y η − v − y xη
⎥
In space engineering and applications, two-phase ρ⎣ ∂t  ·
  · ⎦ = −xξ pη +xη pξ
flows under microgravity conditions are quite different + vη − u − x yξ + v − y xξ
from that in earth gravity. There are many new prob-  μ


 
lems under microgravity conditions, which are however + x2η + y2η vξ − xξ yξ +xη yη vn
J ξ
concealed by the gravity on the earth. Experiments  μ


 

under microgravity conditions are too expensive for + x2ξ + y2ξ vη − xξ yξ + xη yη vξ (2)
J η+F y
a ordinary research institute to afford, and numeri-
cal simulation is thereby become an alternative but
Where F x and F y is the components of the body
very effective and important tool in studying two-phase
force. Two kinds of body forces are encountered in
flows under microgravity conditions. Much effort has
the present study, i.e., the microgravity and the surface
been made in the present investigation to try to find
tension force.
the difference of gas-liquid two phase-flows under the
The level set method is employed to capture the
influence of different gravitational forces.
interfaces in the gas–liquid two phase flows. The level
There are many existing researches for bubble mo-
set equation is also written in the adaptive curvilinear
tion and coalescence, but most of them studied the
coordinates, i.e.,
activities under normal gravity. Most of the papers
used uniform meshes. On one hand, the amount of ∂  ·
  · 
computaional time is very large in using uniform grid. J + ξ u − x yη − v − y xη
∂t
On the other hand, fine meshes over the gas-liquid  ·
  · 
interface are required to increase the accuracy. Moving + η u − x yξ + v − y xξ = 0
mesh method was used to simulate the coalescence of   
∂
the bubbles in our paper. The mesh changes continu- = sign (φ0 ) 1 − J −1 αφξ2 + γ φη2 − 2βφξ φη (3)
ously in space and time to adapt to the dynamic changes ∂t
Microgravity Sci. Technol (2008) 20:247–251
Grid Generating Technique
The mesh-generation procedure given by Ceniceros
and Hou (Rhie and Chow 1983) is utilized in this article.
The equation controlling the grid systems in the compu-
tational domain can generally be written as follows:
249
3. Solving the level set equation and reinitialize the
level set function.
The five-order WENO scheme is applied to dis-
cretize the variable  in space and the three-order
Runge-kutta scheme is applied to discretize the
variable  in time. The surface tension force is also
computed in this step.
 
 1  Surface tension is defined as σ k∇ H, Where k =
 
∇ξ  G−1   T −1 
T
E ξ ,η = 1 ∇ξ + ∇η G ∇η dxdy ∇
2 p
(4)
After interchanging the dependent and independent
   <−1.5h
variables, the following equations can be obtained, i.e.
∇  w∇  x = 0, ∇  w∇  y = 0 (5)
A standard procedure to solve Eq. 5 is to use the
pseudo-transient method (Ceniceros and Hou 2001;
Huang and Russell 1999) with the following formulas,
xτ = ∇  w∇  x , yτ = ∇  w∇  y (6)
It is worthy to note that Eq. 6 is a system of nonlinear
elliptic equations, and the elliptic coefficient is the mon-
itor function w. We can use the following semi-implicit
discretization,
∇ · |∇| is the interfacial curvature and, H is the
standard Heaviside function defined as follows:
⎧
⎨  0
H()= (+ε) (2ε)+sin π ε (2π) || ≤ 1.5h
⎩
1  > 1.5h
4. Update the fluid properties.
The properties of the fluid are smeared by the
standard Heaviside function in combination with
the level set function, as follows:
ρ = ρv + (ρl − ρv ) H ()
μ = μv + (μl − μv ) H ()
5. Solve the momentum equations.
Using the five point finite difference scheme, Eqs. 1
and 2 can be discretized as:

xn+1 − xn
 A p u p = A E u E + AW uW + A N u N + A S u S + S (9)
= a  xn+1 + ∇  · wn ∇  xn − a  xn (7)
t
Where, A E = De − 12 Fe , Aw = Dw + 12 Fw , A N =
yn+1 − yn
 Dn − 12 Fn , A S = Ds + 12 Fs , A p = A E+ AW + A N +
= a  yn+1 + ∇  · wn ∇  yn − a  yn (8) A S + (ρ J ξ η) t, S = (ρ J ξ η) t · unp + F x+
t  e n 
Bu pξ + Cu pη − kβdξ e
T η η + kβdηe
T ξ ξ
Where a = max wn . Here  and ∇  are the operators
Jdξc w Jdηc s

(the Laplacian and the gradient with respect to (ξ , η).

A p v p = A E v E + AW vW + A N v N + A S v S + S (10)

Where, A E = De − 12 Fe , Aw = Dw + 12 Fw , A N =
Computational Procedures Dn − 12 Fn , A S =Ds + 12 Fs , A p = A E+ AW + A N +
A S + (ρ J ξ η) t, S = (ρ J ξ η) t · v np + F y+
A collocated-grid finite-difference scheme is used in the  e n 
present study. The scalar parameters are defined on Bv pξ + Cv pη − kβdξ e
Jdξc η
v η + kβdηe
v
Jdηc ξ
ξ u∗
w s
the nodes of the grids and a SIMPLER-based method and v∗ can be obtained by solving Eqs. 9 and 10.
is adopted to solve for solutions to velocities and the 6. Solve the pressure correction equation.
pressure. Cartesian velocity components are used as Pressure correction equation is derived from the
the independent variables in the momentum equations, continuity equation, and can be discretized as:
while the contravariant velocity components are used
as the independent variables in the continuity equation. A p P p = A E P E + A W PW + A N P N + A S P S + S
The computation procedures are as follows:
(11)
1. Initialize the grid.      
For the complete discussion of this step, the reader Where, A E = B η δξ e
, A w = B η
δξ w
, A n = C η
δη n
,
is referred to the part 3.  
2. Update the mesh. A S = C η δη s
, S = (U ∗ η)e −(U ∗ η)w +(V ∗ ξ )n −
This step is skipped over at the first time. (V ∗ ξ )s , B = yη Bu − xη Bv , C = xξ Cv − yξ Cu
250 Microgravity Sci. Technol (2008) 20:247–251

In computing the source term, a velocity interpola- approaches the big bubble, and the two bubbles will
tion scheme is used, which is originally designed by eventually merge.
Rhie and Chow (1983). Figures 1 and 2 show the velocity fields and level
7. Correct the velocity. set profiles during the above-mentioned coalescence

 process of the two bubbles in the liquid, respectively,
u p = u∗p + Bu pξ +Cu pη , under the normal gravity conditions and microgravity


v p = v ∗p + Bv pξ +Cv pη , conditions.

 As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the velocity fields and the
Up = Up∗ + Bu yη − Bv xη pξ , level set profiles under the normal gravity conditions

 are quite similar to that under the microgravity condi-
Vp = Vp∗ + Cu xξ −Cv yξ pη
tions, and vortex appears on each side of the bubble.
After this step, the new velocity is obtained for However, the strength of the vortex under the normal
the time step n. Reiterate Eqs. 5 and 6 until a gravity conditions is much stronger than that under
convergent solution is achieved. the microgravity conditions, and under microgravity
8. Go to step 2 for the next time step. conditions, the time for the two bubbles coalescence is
much longer, and the deformation of the two bubbles
is much less, than that under the normal gravity. The
coalescing time for the two bubbles is 0.16 s at gravity
Results and Discussions level of 10−2 ×g, and 0.06 s at normal gravity. As a

Two gas bubbles are initially located at (0.1, 0.03) and

(0.1, 0.06), respectively, in the domain of a size (0.2,
0.2). The properties of the vapor and the liquid are:
ρ l = 1000 (kg/m3 ), ρ v = 1 (kg/m3 ), μl = 1.004e-3 kg/(ms),
μv = 12.0e-6 kg/(ms), σ = 0.0728 (N/m).
The small bubble is in the wake zone of the big
bubble, so the small bubble moves faster due to
the entrainment of the big bubble. The small bubble

(a) t=0ms (b) t=10ms

(a) t=0ms (b) t=10ms

(c) t=40ms (d) t= 80ms

(c) t=40ms (d) t=80ms (e) t=0.4s

Fig. 1 The level set profiles and the velocity fields at the time Fig. 2 The level set profiles and the velocity fields at the time
intervals of 0, 10, 40, 80 and 120 ms under the normal gravity intervals of 0, 10, 40, 80 ms and 0.4 s under the microgravity
condition (10−2 ×g) condition
Microgravity Sci. Technol (2008) 20:247–251
result, the dwell time of the bubble in the device will
get longer, as long as the gravity is reduced. Obviously,
the numerical results obtained in the present study are
quite similar to the theoretical analysis published in lit-
eratures, indicating that the numerical method adopted
in this study is reasonable (Chang and Hou 1996).
Conclusions
A robust numerical method is presented in this paper
for the simulation of gas–liquid two-phase flows with
high density ratios under microgravity conditions. The
coalescence process of two gas bubbles under different
gravity conditions are revealed and compared in this
paper. It is shown that the velocity fields inside and
around the bubbles under different gravity conditions
are quite similar, but the strength of vortices behind
the bubbles in the normal gravity is much stronger than
that under microgravity conditions. Under micrograv-
ity conditions, the time for two bubbles coalescence is
much longer, and the deformation of the two bubbles is
much less, than that under the normal gravity.
Acknowledgements The authors would like to express thanks
for the support provided by the National Natural Science Foun-
dation (Project No. 50106011) and that by the Excellent State
Key Laboratory Research Project (Grant No. 50323001).
251
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