https://doi.org/10.1140/epjs/s11734-025-01973-6
Regular Article
A computational study of the coalescence of oscillating bubbles
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Kauz Khas, 110016, New Delhi, Delhi, India
a
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Received:
9
August
2025
Accepted:
16
September
2025
Published online:
26
September
2025
Abstract
Understanding the interaction of oscillating bubbles is crucial in various engineering processes and biomedical applications. The interaction of oscillating bubbles is studied using an interface-resolved computational model of gas bubbles in a liquid medium. Bubbles with an initial pressure higher than the equilibrium pressure in a liquid medium will undergo multiple cycles of expansion and inertial collapse before reaching an equilibrium state. The interaction of a pair of such pressurized gas bubbles is computed. It is observed that the pair of pressurized bubbles travels toward each other as they oscillate. However, the coalescence dynamics of these bubbles depend on factors such as their initial pressure, initial size, and the physical properties of the liquid. In this study, three different types of interaction behavior are observed depending on the initial bubble pressure and the viscosity of the medium: (1) the bubble pair may form high-speed jets toward each other before merging, (2) the bubble pair may merge without the formation of re-entrant jets after a few cycles of oscillation, and (3) the bubbles may not merge. The bubble coalescence time is found to be inversely proportional to the initial bubble pressure.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to EDP Sciences, Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2025
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
