Paper 3, Section II, B

Fluid Dynamics | Part IB, 2014

A bubble of gas occupies the spherical region r⩽R(t)r \leqslant R(t), and an incompressible irrotational liquid of constant density ρ\rho occupies the outer region r⩾Rr \geqslant R, such that as r→∞r \rightarrow \infty the liquid is at rest with constant pressure p∞p_{\infty}. Briefly explain why it is appropriate to use a velocity potential ϕ(r,t)\phi(r, t) to describe the liquid velocity u.

By applying continuity of velocity across the gas-liquid interface, show that the liquid pressure (for r⩾Rr \geqslant R ) satisfies

pρ+12(R2R˙r2)2−1rddt(R2R˙)=p∞ρ, where R˙=dRdt.\frac{p}{\rho}+\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{R^{2} \dot{R}}{r^{2}}\right)^{2}-\frac{1}{r} \frac{d}{d t}\left(R^{2} \dot{R}\right)=\frac{p_{\infty}}{\rho}, \quad \text { where } \dot{R}=\frac{d R}{d t} .

Show that the excess pressure ps−p∞p_{s}-p_{\infty} at the bubble surface r=Rr=R is

ps−p∞=ρ2(3R˙2+2RR¨), where R¨=d2Rdt2p_{s}-p_{\infty}=\frac{\rho}{2}\left(3 \dot{R}^{2}+2 R \ddot{R}\right), \quad \text { where } \ddot{R}=\frac{d^{2} R}{d t^{2}}

and hence that

ps−p∞=ρ2R2ddR(R3R˙2)p_{s}-p_{\infty}=\frac{\rho}{2 R^{2}} \frac{d}{d R}\left(R^{3} \dot{R}^{2}\right)

The pressure pg(t)p_{g}(t) inside the gas bubble satisfies the equation of state

pgV4/3=Cp_{g} V^{4 / 3}=C

where CC is a constant, and V(t)V(t) is the bubble volume. At time t=0t=0 the bubble is at rest with radius R=aR=a. If the bubble then expands and comes to rest at R=2aR=2 a, determine the required gas pressure p0p_{0} at t=0t=0 in terms of p∞p_{\infty}.

[You may assume that there is contact between liquid and gas for all time, that all motion is spherically symmetric about the origin r=0r=0, and that there is no body force. You may also assume Bernoulli's integral of the equation of motion to determine the liquid pressure

pρ+∂ϕ∂t+12∣∇ϕ∣2=A(t)\frac{p}{\rho}+\frac{\partial \phi}{\partial t}+\frac{1}{2}|\nabla \phi|^{2}=A(t)

where ϕ(r,t)\phi(r, t) is the velocity potential.]

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