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Bubble-size distributions produced by wall injection of air into flowing freshwater, saltwater and surfactant solutions

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Abstract

As air is injected into a flowing liquid, the resultant bubble characteristics depend on the properties of the injector, near-wall flow, and flowing liquid. Previous research has shown that near-wall bubbles can significantly reduce skin-friction drag. Air was injected into the turbulent boundary layer on a test section wall of a water tunnel containing various concentrations of salt and surfactant (Triton-X-100, Union Carbide). Photographic records show that the mean bubble diameter decreased monotonically with increasing salt and surfactant concentrations. Here, 33 ppt saltwater bubbles had one quarter, and 20 ppm Triton-X-100 bubbles had one half of the mean diameter of freshwater bubbles.

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Acknowledgements

The authors of this paper are grateful for the support of the Office of Naval Research under contract N00014-02-C-0468, Dr. L. P. Purtell, technical monitor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Michigan, Mechanical Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Eric S. Winkel, Steven L. Ceccio & David R. Dowling

  2. University of Michigan, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Marc Perlin

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  1. Eric S. Winkel
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  2. Steven L. Ceccio
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  3. David R. Dowling
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  4. Marc Perlin
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Correspondence to Eric S. Winkel.

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Winkel, E.S., Ceccio, S.L., Dowling, D.R. et al. Bubble-size distributions produced by wall injection of air into flowing freshwater, saltwater and surfactant solutions. Exp Fluids 37, 802–810 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0850-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-004-0850-y

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