The Effect of Small Bubbles on Resistance Reduction of Water Flow in Co-axial Cylinders with an Inner Rotating Cylinder

Drawing on effective experiments and measurement technology, the present study seeks to discuss the interaction between liquid turbulent boundary layer and a crowded group of small bubbles. Experiments are carried out using a circulating water Couette–Taylor system especially designed for small bubble experiments. Couette–Taylor system has a detailed test section, which allows measuring the effect of persistent head resistance reduction caused by small bubbles in the streamwise direction. Pressure difference is measured using sensors which are mounted at the bottom and top of the system to calculate head resistance. Pressure difference and bubble behavior are measured as a function of rotational Reynolds number up to 67.8 × 103. Small bubbles are injected constantly into annulus gap using two injectors installed at the bottom of the system and they are lifted through an array of vertical cells. Water is used to avoid uncertain interfacial property of bubbles and to produce relatively mono-sized bubble distributions. The bubble sizes range approximately from 0.9 to 1.4 mm, which are identified by the image processing method. The results suggest that head resistance is decreased after the injection of small bubble in all rotational Reynolds number under study, changing from 7,000 to 67.8 × 103. Moreover, void fraction is increased from 0 to 10.33 %. A head resistance reduction greater than 75 % was achieved in this study after the maximum measured volume of air fraction was injected into fluid flow while bubbles were distinct without making any gas layer. © 2014, The Institution of Engineers (India).