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Direct numerical simulation of a particle attachment to an immersed bubble

Lecrivain, G.; Yamamoto, R.; Hampel, U.; Taniguchi, T.

The selective attachment of hydrophobic particles by gas bubbles immersed in water is at the heart of the flotation process. The valuable hydrophobic particles, such as for instance fine-grained particles of ore mineral, adhere to the fluidic interface of rising bubbles while the valueless hydrophilic material settles down the bottom of the flotation cell to eventually be discharged. The attachment process, i.e. the capture of a single hydrophobic particle by a bubble, can be divided into a sequence of three microprocesses: the particle approach, the collision process and the sliding down the bubble surface. The absence of explicit boundary between two consecutive events along with the multiphase nature of the system renders the development of predictive computer model difficult. A numerical model is here suggested for the direct numerical simulation of the particle attachment on a stationary bubble. The two fluid-particle boundaries and the fluidic boundary are replaced with diffuse interfaces. The attachment of a single particle on a stationary bubble is presently tested. Particle trajectories and velocities in the near bubble region are captured and compare qualitatively well with available experimental data.

Permalink: https://www.hzdr.de/publications/Publ-22805
Publ.-Id: 22805