Parallel Computations of the Dynamic Behavior of Bubble Plumes

This paper discusses numerical results obtained with different strategies for modeling air-water flows. Mathematical models for dilute mixtures, derived from the two-fluid model equations, are presented. These models include diverse degrees of complexity, and they handle turbulence via a k-ε model and a Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) approach, in a consistent way. The models are implemented in a parallel code, which is then used to numerically simulate the dynamic behavior of bubble columns in two and three dimensions. The results of the simulations are employed to study the interplay between the turbulence of the carrier and the scales of the wandering motion, and to compare the capability of different models to capture the physics behind the phenomenon.