Hydrodynamic Behavior of a Single Bubble Rising in Viscous Liquids

The rising behavior of single bubbles has been investigated in six systems with different viscosity and Morton number (Mo) from 3.21×10−11 to 163. Bubbles with maximum equivalent diameter of up to 16 mm were investigated. The bubble Reynolds number (Re) ranged from 0.02 to 1200 covering 3 regimes in which two functions are obtained relating the drag coefficient, CD, with Re and Mo. It has been found that in the high Reynolds number regime the drag coefficient increases until the Reynolds number of about 1200. The classic expression of Jamialahmadi (1994) is improved and extended to high viscosity liquids. A new relationship for the aspect ratio of deformed bubbles in terms of Re, the Eötvös number and Mo, applicable to a wide range of system properties, especially in high viscosity liquids, is also suggested.