Experimental study on flow control of the turbulent boundary layer with micro-bubbles

The effect of micro-bubbles on the turbulent boundary layer in the channel flow with Reynolds numbers (Re) ranging from 0.87 × 105 to 1.23 × 105 is experimentally studied by using particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements.The microbubbles are produced by water electrolysis.The velocity profiles,Reynolds stress and instantaneous structures of the boundary layer,with and without micro-bubbles,are measured and analyzed.The presence of micro-bubbles changes the streamwise mean velocity of the fluid and increases the wall shear stress.The results show that micro-bubbles have two effects,buoyancy and extrusion,which dominate the flow behavior of the mixed fluid in the turbulent boundary layer.The buoyancy effect leads to upward motion that drives the fluid motion in the same direction and,therefore,enhances the turbulence intense of the boundary layer.While for the extrusion effect,the presence of accumulated micro-bubbles pushes the flow structures in the turbulent boundary layer away from the near-wall region.The interaction between these two effects causes the vorticity structures and turbulence activity to be in the region far away from the wall.The buoyancy effect is dominant when the Re is relatively small,while the extrusion effect plays a more important role when Re rises.

Optimization of rheological parameter for micro-bubble drilling fluids by multiple regression experimental design

In order to optimize plastic viscosity of 18 mPa·s circulating micro-bubble drilling fluid formula,orthogonal and uniform experimental design methods were applied,and the plastic viscosities of 36 and 24 groups of agent were tested,respectively.It is found that these two experimental design methods show drawbacks,that is,the amount of agent is difficult to determine,and the results are not fully optimized.Therefore,multiple regression experimental method was used to design experimental formula.By randomly selecting arbitrary agent with the amount within the recommended range,17 groups of drilling fluid formula were designed,and the plastic viscosity of each experiment formula was measured.Set plastic viscosity as the objective function,through multiple regressions,then quadratic regression model is obtained,whose correlation coefficient meets the requirement.Set target values of plastic viscosity to be 18,20 and 22 mPa·s,respectively,with the trial method,5 drilling fluid formulas are obtained with accuracy of 0.000 3,0.000 1 and 0.000 3.Arbitrarily select target value of each of the two groups under the formula for experimental verification of drilling fluid,then the measurement errors between theoretical and tested plastic viscosity are less than 5%,confirming that regression model can be applied to optimizing the circulating of plastic-foam drilling fluid viscosity.In accordance with the precision of different formulations of drilling fluid for other constraints,the methods result in the optimization of the circulating micro-bubble drilling fluid parameters.

Velocity distribution of the flow field in the cyclonic zone of cyclone-static micro-bubble flotation column

Laboratory experiments have been conducted to study the flow field in a cyclone static micro-bubble flotation column. The method of Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was used. The flow field velocity distribution in both cross section and longitudinal section within cyclonic zone was studied for different circulating volumes. The cross sectional vortex was also analyzed. The results show that in cross section as the circulating volume increases from 0.187 to 0.350 m 3 /h, the flow velocity ranges from 0 to 0.68 m/s. The flow field is mainly a non-vortex potential flow that forms a free vortex without outside energy input. In the cyclonic region the vortex deviates from the center of the flotation column because a single tangential opening introduces circulating fluid into the column. The tangential component of the velocity plays a defining role in the cross section. In the longitudinal section the velocity ranges from 0 to 0.08 m/s. The flow velocity increases as does the circulating volume. Advantageous mineral separation conditions arise from the combined effects of cyclonic flow in cross and longitudinal section.