Marangoni convection around a bubble in microgravity

摘要

Marangoni, or surface tension drive, convection around a vapor bubble in microgravity is investigated numerically to evaluate the effects of the Marangoni flow on the heat transfer around the vapor bubble. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved numerically with the energy equation in both the liquid and vapor regions around the vapor bubble using the finite element method. The results are then compared with interferometer images of flow around a bubble in microgravity. The results show that the Marangoni flow results in a thermal wake behind the bubble and causes some increase in the heat transfer over pure conduction.