VOF simulation of marangoni flow of gas bubbles in 2D-axisymmetric column

The migration of gas bubbles immersed in a liquid under the action of temperature gradient and surface tension (Marangoni flow) in zero gravity environment is numerically investigated for different Ma, Re, and Pr (Marangoni, Reynolds, and Prandtl numbers). The full Navier–Stokes equations as well as the energy equation for temperature gradient are solved by a volume of fluid (VOF) method/Finite Volume method, and the surface tension force is modeled by a continuum surface force (CSF) model. The behavior of bubble migrating toward the hotter side by the action of surface tension using the flow relations between two bubbles (leading and trailing bubble), and the trajectories and the velocities of the different bubbles diameters, in microgravity environment have been investigated numerically. It has been verified that the calculated results are in good agreement with available experimental and numerical results. It is also concluded that the VOF is able to simulate two-phase flow under zero gravity conditions.