Simulations of bubble surface oscillations and microstreaming

Abstract

Non-spherical bubble oscillations require a careful analysis of surface modes that affect the stability of the bubble and the surrounding liquid flow. For instance, microstreaming and corresponding shear forces can be generated near the bubble. Here we employ a Volume-of-Fluid method to simulate surface-tension-driven bubble oscillations. Although the method is more expensive than the frequently used Boundary-Integral-Method, it has some advantages and allows for a straightforward capture of bubble break-up. VoF requires careful meshing and tuning of parameters, but can result in accurate simulations of surface mode oscillations and the subsequent microstreaming of both acoustically driven and laser-generated bubbles.