Vapour bubble growth within a viscous mixture non-Newtonian fluid between two-phase turbulent flow

ABSTRACT

We present the theoretical study and mathematical modelling of vapour bubble growth in a non-Newtonian fluid, viscous, superheated liquid for the turbulent flow. The mathematical model is formulated and solved analytically by using the continuity equation, momentum equation and heat equation. The initial time of bubble growth is taken into account. The radius of bubble is proportional to some physical parameters, such as the thermal diffusivity, superheating liquid, Peclet number and initial void fraction, while it is inversely proportional to the surface tension and the dynamic of viscosity. Results indicated that the growth of bubble in the case of constant viscosity is greater than in the case of variable viscosity, and also the growth of bubble in a non-Newtonian fluid for turbulent flow is lower than in the Newtonian fluid for turbulent flow.

KEYWORDS:

• Bubble growth
• non-Newtonian fluid
• turbulent flow
• Plesset and Zwick method
• analytical solution

Acknowledgements

We thank the editor and anonymous referees for their constructive comments and recommendations.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).