Skip to main content
Log in

Effect of orifice geometry on bubble formation in melt gas injection to prepare aluminum foams

  • Article
  • Published:
Science China Technological Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The bubble formation process at submerged orifices with different geometry is investigated in the preparation of aluminum foams by gas injection method. The bubble profile on a horizontal plate is calculated by quasi-static analysis through Laplace equation. The bubble formation process is then distinguished into three stages: nucleation stage, growth stage and detachment stage in wetting and less wetting conditions based on the force balance analysis. In addition, the bubble size at high Reynolds number is obtained by considering the contribution of buoyancy, pressure force, inertial force, drag force and surface tension based on the three stages of bubble formation. The bubble size is confirmed to be sensitive to the equivalent contact angle, which consists of two terms including the contact angle and the wedge angle. Therefore, the wedge angle is introduced in the design of gas outlet orifices for the purpose of decreasing bubble size generated. The experimental study is conducted at three different types of stainless steel orifices under constant gas flow rates (0.05–2 L/min). It is clarified that the orifice geometry and the orifice size are both responsible for the cell size of aluminum foams. The experimental results for three different types of orifices show a consistent trend with the theoretical predictions at various gas flow rates. In the design of orifices to generate small bubbles in the melt, the wedge angle that coordinates with the contact angle is thus suggested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Jeon Y P, Kang C G, Lee S M. Effects of cell size on compression and bending strength of aluminum-foamed material by complex stirring in induction heating. J Mater Process Tech, 2009, 20: 435–444

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Xu Z G, Fu J W, Luo T J, et al. Effects of cell size on quasi-static compressive properties of Mg alloy foams. Mater Design, 2012, 34: 40–44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Kulkarni A A, Joshi J B. Bubble formation and bubble rise velocity in gas-liquid systems: A review. Ind Eng Chem Res, 2005, 44: 5873–5931

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Dietrich N, Mayoufi N, Poncin S, et al. Bubble formation at an orifice: A multiscale investigation. Chem Eng Sci, 2013, 92: 118–125

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Kogawa H, Shobu T, Futakawa M, et al. Effect of wettability on bubble formation at gas nozzle under stagnant condition. J Nucl Mater, 2008, 377: 189–194

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Dobesberger F, Flankl H, Leitlmeier D, et al. Device and process for producing metal foam. US patent, 7195662 B2, 2007-03-27

  7. Vafaei S, Angeli P, Wen D. Bubble growth rate from stainless steel substrate and needle nozzles. Colloid Surf A-Physicochem Eng Asp, 2011, 384: 240–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Higuera F J, Medina A. Injection and coalescence of bubbles in a quiescent inviscid liquid. Eur J Mech B-Fluid, 2006, 25: 164–171

    Article  MATH  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  9. Bolaños-Jiménez R, Sevilla A, Martínez-Bazán C, et al. Axisymmetric bubble collapse in a quiescent liquid pool. II. Experimental study. Phys Fluids, 2008, 20: 112104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Ramakrishnan S, Kumar R, Kuloor N R. Studies in bubble formation-I bubble formation under constant flow conditions. Chem Eng Sci, 1969, 24: 731–747

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Satyanarayan A, Kumar R, Kuloor N R. Studies in bubble formation-II bubble formation under constant pressure conditions. Chem Eng Sci, 1969, 24: 749–761

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Khurana A K, Kumar R. Studies in bubble formation-III. Chem Eng Sci, 1969, 24: 1711–1723

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Lin J N, Banerji S K, Yasuda H. Role of interfacial tension in the formation and the detachment of air bubbles. 1. A single hole on a horizontal plane immersed in water. Langmuir, 1994, 10: 936–942

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Byakova A V, Gnyloskurenko S V, Nakamura T, et al. Influence of wetting conditions on bubble formation at orifice in an inviscid liquid: Mechanism of bubble evolution. Colloid Surf A-Physicochem Eng Asp, 2003, 229: 19–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Sano M, Mori K. Bubble formation from single nozzles in liquid metals. Trans JIM, 1976, 17: 344–352

    Google Scholar 

  16. Oguz H N, Prosperetti A. Dynamics of bubble growth and detachment from a needle. J Fluid Mech, 1993, 257: 111–145

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Gnyloskurenko S V, Nakamura T. Wettability effect on bubble formation at nozzles in liquid aluminum. Mater Trans, 2003, 44: 2298–2302

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Gnyloskurenko S V, Byakova A, Nakamura T, et al. Influence of wettability on bubble formation in liquid. J Mater Sci, 2005, 40: 2437–2441

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Vafaei S, Wen D. Bubble formation on a submerged micronozzle. J Colloid Interf Sci, 2010, 343: 291–297

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Gerlach D, Biswas G, Durst F, et al. Quasi-static bubble formation on submerged orifices. Int J Heat Mass Tran, 2005, 48: 425–438

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Chen Y, Mertz R, Kulenovic R. Numerical simulation of bubble formation on orifice plates with a moving contact line. Int J Multiphas Flow, 2009, 35: 66–77

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Chen Y, Liu S, Kulenovic R, et al. Experimental study on macroscopic contact line behaviors during bubble formation on submerged orifice and comparison with numerical simulations. Phys Fluids, 2013, 25: 092105

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Vafaei S, Wen D. Spreading of triple line and dynamics of bubble growth inside nanoparticle dispersions on top of a substrate plate. J Colloid Interf Sci, 2011, 362: 285–291

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Dyson D C. Contact line stability at edges: Comments on Gibbs’s inequalities. Phys Fluids, 1988, 31: 229–232

    Article  MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  25. Oliver J F, Huh C, Mason S G. Resistance to spreading of liquids by sharp edges. J Colloid Interf Sci, 1977, 59: 568–581

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Yuan J Y, Li Y X, Zhou Y T. Effect of contact angle on bubble formation at submerged orifices. J Mater Sci, 2014, doi: 10.1007/s10853-014-8516-5

    Google Scholar 

  27. Fan X L, Chen X, Liu X N, et al. Bubble formation at a submerged orifice for aluminum foams produced by gas injection method. Metall Mater Trans A, 2013, 44: 729–737

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Gallois B M. Wetting in nonreactive liquid metal-oxide systems. Jom, 1997, 49: 48–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Laurent V, Chatain D, Eustathopoulos N. Wettability of SiO2 and oxidized SiC by aluminium. Mater Sci Eng A, 1991, 135: 89–94

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to YanXiang Li.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Yuan, J., Li, Y. Effect of orifice geometry on bubble formation in melt gas injection to prepare aluminum foams. Sci. China Technol. Sci. 58, 64–74 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-014-5669-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11431-014-5669-z

Keywords

Navigation