Effect of Surface Active Materials on Bubble Dynamics in Two-Phase Flow

Our goal in this research is to relate bubble performance in processes such as bubble breaking, dissolution, coalescence and breakup to bubble interfacial character, including surface tension, surface charge and surface rheological properties. This fiscal year we have studied bubble dissolution rates in clean fresh water and in sea water samples representing a wide range of biological activities. Previous measurements of bubble dissolution have used water that was equilibrated with a known atmosphere a process that takes many hours and results in alteration of chemical and biological properties. We have used a novel gas tension method to determine 02 and N2 partial pressures in the water phase. Our results indicate that mass transfer rates for dissolution in fresh water coincide with theoretical predictions, but those for sea water are always significantly less and especially at low Reynolds Numbers. Bubble coalescence and breaking of bubbles at the air-water interface were observed in fresh water and sea water samples. Both process were observed to produce satellite bubbles. For example, millimeter-size bubbles breaking at the air-water interface each produced 20 or more bubbles of greater than 30 microns in diameter.... Bubble; Bubble Coalescence; Bubble Mass Transfer.