Modeling acoustic cavitation with inhomogeneous polydisperse bubble population on a large scale

• Published in: Ultrasonics sonochemistry Vol. 89; p. 106060
• Main Authors: Lesnik, Sergey, Aghelmaleki, Atiyeh, Mettin, Robert, Brenner, Gunther
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.09.2022; Elsevier
• Subjects: Acoustic cavitation modeling; Bubble dynamics; Bubble population; OpenFOAM; Short Communication; Ultrasonic reactors; Ultrasonic reactors; Bubble population; OpenFOAM; Bubble dynamics; Acoustic cavitation modeling
• ISSN: 1350-4177; 1873-2828; 1873-2828
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ultsonch.2022.106060

[Display omitted] •A new model for acoustic cavitation flows was developed, implemented, verified and validated.•The model allows new insights into the behavior of cavitation flows.•The bubble and flow velocities are strongly influenced by the population type and the void fraction.•The largest bubbles determine the highest pressure amplitude reached in the domain, which corresponds to the Blake threshold of these bubbles. A model for acoustic cavitation flows able to depict large geometries and time scales is proposed. It is based on the Euler–Lagrange approach incorporating a novel Helmholtz solver with a non-linear acoustic attenuation model. The method is able to depict a polydisperse bubble population, which may vary locally. The model is verified and analyzed in a setup with a large sonotrode. Influences of the initial void fraction and the population type are studied. The results show that the velocity is strongly influenced by these parameters. Furthermore, the largest bubbles determine the highest pressure amplitude reached in the domain, which corresponds to the Blake threshold of these bubbles. Additionally, a validation is performed with a small sonotrode. The model reproduces most of the experimentally observed phenomena. In the experiments, neighboring bubbles are found which move in different directions depending on their size. The numerical results show that the responsible mechanism here is the reversal of the primary Bjerknes force at a certain pressure amplitude.