Bubble Formation in Non-Newtonian Fluids Using Laser Image Measurement System1

A self-developed laser image measurement system was established to study the behavior of bubble formation at a single orifice in non-Newtonian polyacrylamide (PAAm) solutions. Images of bubbles were captured by a CCD camera and volumes of bubbles were digitally analyzed online. The effects of rheological property of PAAm solution, orifice, reservoir, and gas flowrate on bubble formation were studied experimentally. It is found that the volume of bubble increases with the concentration of PAAm solution, the diameter of the orifice, and the gas flowrate, respectively, whereas little effect of reservoir is observed in experiments.