Numerical investigation on coalescence of bubble pairs rising in a stagnant liquid

In the present study, we preformed a two-dimensional numerical simulation of the motion and coalescence of bubble pairs rising in the stationary liquid pool, using the moving particle semi-implicit (MPS) method. Moving particles were used to describe the liquid phase and the vapor phase was evaluated using real vapor sate equation. The bubble–liquid interface was set to be a free surface boundary which could be captured according to the motion and location of interfacial particles. The behaviors of coalescence between two identical bubbles predicted by the MPS method were in good agreement with the experimental results reported in the literature. Numerical results indicated that the rising velocity of the trailing bubble was larger than that of the leading bubble. Both of the leading bubble and the trailing bubble rose faster than the isolated bubble. After coalescence, the coalesced bubble showed velocity and volume oscillations. The time of the volume oscillations increased with increasing initial bubble diameter. The wake flow and vortex would form behind the coalesced bubble. ► Coalescence of bubble pairs was numerically investigated using the MPS method.► The bubble–liquid interface was captured by the motion of interfacial particles.► The leading bubble could influence the motion of the trailing bubble greatly.► Bubble deformation characteristics were obtained under various parametric ranges.► MPS method is competent in evaluating the complicated bubble dynamics.