Interaction of rarefaction waves with wet foam

Abstract

The interaction of rarefaction waves of different shapes with wet water foams is studied experimentally. It is found that the observed values of the pressure are greater, while the surface velocity is lower than the corresponding values predicted by the pseudogas model. The foam breakdown starts as the pressure decreases by 0.3 atm relative to the initial pressure. During downstream propagation of the rarefaction-wave leading edge the propagation velocity decreases.

Using of water-based foams as effective screens for damping blast waves in different technological processes has caused considerable interest in studying wave propagation in such systems. The pressure wave dynamics in a foam have been investigated in much detail, both experimentally and theoretically [1–3]. However, the interaction of rarefaction waves with foam has practically never been studied, although it was mentioned in [4] that the unloading phase following the compression wave phase is one of the factors defining the damaging action of blast waves. Besides blast-wave damping, rarefaction wave propagation takes place if such waves are used to breakup foam in oil-producing wells [5].

Below, the interaction of rarefaction waves of different shapes with wet water foams is studied. The vertical shock tube described in detail in [3] was used in these experiments.