Bubble Growth From Submerged Orifice Plates: Part 2—Dynamic Interaction of Chamber Volume, Surface Tension, Viscous Resistance, and Wetting
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Bubble growth dynamics from submerged orifice plates is systematically investigated in this two-part study. In the companion Part 1, the effects of surface wettability and surface tension were examined. The study resulted in identifying a σ − θ regime map that demarcates the capillary-like behavior (θ ≤ 64 deg or σ≤46mN/m) from the region where surface de-wetting occurs (θ > 64 deg and σ>46mN/m). For the latter case, the bubble base advances and subsequently recedes prior to necking and pinch-off. The extent to which upstream gas-chamber volume influences this spreading cycle, and how that influence is modulated by liquid viscosity and surface tension, is experimentally investigated in this study (Part 2). Experiments were conducted using Teflon orifice plates (equilibrium contact angle with water 105 deg and 128 deg) with diameters spanning in the range 0.61 ≤ D0 ≤ 1.5 mm. Two surface tensions were examined using pure water (72 mN/m) and an ethanol–water mixture (53 mN/m) to regulate the degree of bubble base spreading. To assess chamber volume–viscosity coupling, liquids covering a viscosity range of 0.89 < µ < 128 cP were employed, including pure distilled water, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, and aqueous glycerol solutions. Comparisons of hydrophilic plates and a capillary orifice were used to isolate wettability-driven effects. Results demonstrate that the critical capacitance number for the onset of chamber effects (NC*≈0.8–1) remains applicable even in the presence of spreading. Larger chamber volume (NC>NC*) increases bubble departure diameter when spreading is absent. However, for hydrophobic plates that exhibit bubble base spreading, introduction of chamber effects produces little to no change in departure size despite clear modifications to growth dynamics. In the absence of chamber influence, viscous suppression of spreading occurs only beyond a viscosity-dependent flow-rate threshold. In contrast, under chamber-dominated conditions, viscous effects are amplified and can eliminate spreading even at low flowrates, leading hydrophobic substrates to behave similarly to hydrophilic or capillary systems.
DOI: 10.1115/1.4072010
Authors: Sanjivan Manoharan, Milind A. Jog
Institutions: Grand Valley State University, University of Cincinnati
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7162130263