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Purpose -This study is concerned with the direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a turbulent channel flow by an improved vortex in cell (VIC) method. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach -First, two improvements for VIC method are proposed to heighten the numerical accuracy and efficiency. A discretization method employing a staggered grid is presented to ensure the consistency among the discretized equations as well as to prevent the numerical oscillation of the solution. A correction method for vorticity is also proposed to compute the vorticity field satisfying the solenoidal condition. Second, the DNS for a turbulent channel flow is conducted by the improved VIC method. The Reynolds number based on the friction velocity and the channel half width is 180. Findings -It is highlighted that the simulated turbulence statistics, such as the mean velocity, the Reynolds shear stress and the budget of the mean enstrophy, agree well with the existing DNS results. It is also shown that the organized flow structures in the near-wall region, such as the streaks and the streamwise vortices, are favourably captured. These demonstrate the high applicability of the improved VIC method to the DNS for wall turbulent flows. Originality/value -This study enables the VIC method to perform the DNS for wall turbulent flows.

This study is concerned with an experimental exploration for the interactions of bubbles with a vortex ring launched vertically upward into a bubble plume. A vortex ring launcher, composed of a cylinder and a piston, is mounted at the bottom of a water tank. Small hydrogen bubbles are released into still water from a cathode, which is wound around the cylinder outlet, by the electrolysis of water. The bubbles rise by the buoyant force and induce a bubble plume. The water in the cylinder is discharged into the bubble plume by the piston, resulting in a laminar vortex ring convecting along the central axis of the plume. Just after the launch of the vortex ring, the bubbles are spirally entrained into the vortex ring with the roll up of the shear layer. The void fraction within the vortex ring increases with the convection of the vortex ring until a certain displacement of the vortex ring, where the reduction occurs. The vortex ring convects with a constant velocity higher than that in still water. The entrained bubbles reduce the strength of the vortex ring.

To predict the performance of centrifugal pumps under air-water two-phase flow conditions, a consistent one-dimensional two-fluid model with fluid viscosity and air-phase compressibility in a rotating impeller is proposed by considering energy changes in the transitional flow from the rotating impeller to the stationary volute casing. The two-fluid model is numerically solved for the case of a radial-flow pump after various constitutive equations are applied. The head and shaft power predicted are found to agree well with the measured values within ±20 percent of the rated flow capacity.

Purpose This study aims to provide discussions of the numerical method and the bubbly flow characteristics of an annular bubble plume. Design/methodology/approach The bubbles, released from the annulus located at the bottom of the domain, rise owing to buoyant force. These released bubbles have diameters of 0.15–0.25 mm and satisfy the bubble flow rate of 4.1 mm3/s. The evolution of the three-dimensional annular bubble plume is numerically simulated using the semi-Lagrangian–Lagrangian (semi-L–L) approach. The approach is composed of a vortex-in-cell method for the liquid phase and a Lagrangian description of the gas phase. Findings First, a new phenomenon of fluid dynamics was discovered. The bubbly flow enters a transition state with the meandering motion of the bubble plume after the early stable stage. A vortex structure in the form of vortex rings is formed because of the inhomogeneous bubble distribution and the fluid-surface effects. The vortex structure of the flow deforms as three-dimensionality appears in the flow before the flow fully develops. Second, the superior abilities of the semi-L–L approach to analyze the vortex structure of the flow and supply physical details of bubble dynamics were demonstrated in this investigation. Originality/value The semi-L–L approach is applied to the simulation of the gas–liquid two-phase flows.