Bubble Deformation and Breakup in Shear Flow: A Shan–Chen Multicomponent LBM Approach

Resumo

Submarine pipeline leaks in offshore oil and gas production release gas–oil mixtures that rapidly ascend to the ocean surface, posing significant environmental threats. Mechanical dispersion through imposed shear flows effectively fragments large bubbles into smaller droplets, decelerating their rise and promoting enhanced natural biodegradation. Optimizing such dispersion techniques demands a detailed quantitative analysis of bubble deformation and breakup under various shear conditions. This study employs a multicomponent Shan–Chen pseudopotential lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) combined with a single relaxation time Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) collision operator to simulate air-water bubble behavior under controlled shear and extensional stresses, representative of water-jet dispersion scenarios. To maintain thermodynamic consistency, the Guo forcing scheme will be implemented within the LBM framework. Simulations will be carried out in two dimensions using a D2Q9 lattice configuration, systematically exploring a parameter space characterized by varying shear rates and Reynolds numbers. Key simulation outputs include the temporal evolution of droplet shapes and breakup time scales, validated against experimental correlations and existing numerical benchmarks. The investigation of bubble dynamics in controlled shear conditions provides a robust framework for understanding bubble behaviors across different flow regimes. These insights are critical for optimizing mechanical dispersion systems, ultimately enhancing droplet suspension times and biodegradation rates, thereby significantly contributing to effective environmental protection strategies in offshore petroleum operations.