Simulation of bubble dynamics under pool scrubbing conditions

Pool scrubbing is an effective method for removing radioactive aerosols during severe nuclear accidents and protecting the health of nearby residents and the environment. After the pool scrubbing research is revived by the Fukushima Daiichi accident, experimental studies tend to provide CFD-level data on phase distribution and bubble dynamics owing to improved measuring techniques. In contrast, CFD investigations on bubble dynamics under pool scrubbing conditions are still scarce due to the challenges of reliable models and high computational cost. To achieve best practice guidelines for the use of CFD for such complex multiphase flow situations in nuclear safety analyses, there is still a long way to go and a large amount of simulation practice is desirable. This work aims to investigate the bubble dynamics under pool scrubbing conditions using the interface-tracking method available in the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM. At first, the impact of numerical setups such as domain dimension, mesh resolution, and time step on the simulation results is studied in detail for a basic case, which provides good guidelines for the setup of next benchmark cases. Bubble shape, bubble detachment size, and frequency as well plume structure are compared with the results of other institutions that participate in the benchmark simulations as well as experimental observations. Good qualitative and quantitative agreement was obtained. The work provides a basis for investigation on bubble dynamics in pool scrubbing with aerosol particles using the CFD methodology in the next step.