On the three-dimensional features of a confined slug bubble in a flowing square capillary

The motion of long bubbles in tubular capillaries has typically been described by bulk characteristics. However, the dynamics of slug bubbles in square capillaries are more complex due to a corner flow and a thin film flow. The physics can be correctly explained by elucidating local 3D features of the two-phase flow field. To this aim, an experimental study based on particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) and a numerical simulation based on the volume-of-fluid method were conducted to investigate the dynamics of slug bubbles rising in a flowing square capillary with a cross-sectional area of 3 × 3 mm2. To precisely analyze the phases' interaction, interfacial flow data were mapped onto a radial-tangential coordinate system on central and diagonal planes. The simulated interface topology and velocity fields show a good agreement with the experimental PTV data on the central plane, with an absolute error of less than 1.2% for terminal bubble speed. Tangential speeds show their maxima occurring in the channel corners, where pressure is maximum. The thin liquid film flow that occurs where the bubble approaches the wall applies noticeable shear stress on the channel walls, where high and low-pressure regions are generated. Structures of vortices inside the bubble were identified using isosurfaces of the Q-criterion, and their cores were detected based on the parallel vector method. Results reveal a dominant vortex ring adjacent to the liquid film flow and two oblique vortex tubes close to the bubble's nose.