| Abstract |
Drag in turbulent flow is a major drain of energy, be it in the process technology, transport of liquefied natural gases in pipelines, or in naval transportation. A low-concentration (< 5%) dispersed phase (bubbles, droplets) can considerable reduce the drag, up to 50%. Here the deformation of the dispersed bubbles and droplets is believed to play a major role, however, the exact mechanism is largely unknown. The objective of the project is to understand this mechanism in the well-defined geometry of Taylor-Couette turbulence, through numerical simulations within a two-way coupled Euler-Lagrange scheme. The key idea is to allow for bubble and droplet deformation by attributing the internal properties 'deformation' and 'orientation' to these particles. We will also allow for phase transition through the nucleation of vapor bubbles. The numerical results will be compared with accompanying experiments in our lab. The results of this project will allow to reduce drag by optimally choosing the control parameters. |
