Application of a new concept for multi-scale interfacial structures to the dam-break case with an obstacle

New results of a generalized concept developed for the simulation of two-phase flows with multi-scale interfacial structures are presented in this paper. By extending the inhomogeneus Multiple Size Group-model, the concept enables transitions between dispersed and continuous gas morphologies, including the appearance and evanescence of one of these particular gas phases. Adequate interfacial transfer formulations, which are consistent with such an approach, are introduced for interfacial area density and drag. A new drag-formulation considers shear stresses occurring within the free surface area.
The application of the concept to a collapsing water column demonstrates the breakup of continuous gas into a polydispersed phase consisting of different bubble sizes. Both resolved free surface structures as well as the entrainment of bubbles and their coalescence and breakup underneath the surface can be described. The simulations have been performed with the CFD-code CFX 14.0 and will be compared with experimental images.
The paper will further investigate the possible improvement of such free surface simulations by including sub-grid information about small waves and instabilities at the free surface. A comparison of the results will be used for a discussion of possible new mass transfer models between filtered free surface areas and dispersed bubble size groups as part of the future work.