Bubble Dynamics In Polymer Solutions Undergoing Shear

Hydraulic cavitation and its effects have been reported to be substantially inhibited and subsequently suppressed by the addition of minute quantities of water-soluble polymer. Modelling the growth and collapse of a single cavitation bubble in water has been established as the fundamental theoretical approach to understanding this phenomenon. Laser-induced cavitation has been developed as a technique for the experimental investigation and confirmation of predicted spherical and nonspherical bubble dynamics in quiescent viscous fluids. The present experimental research has sought to form a link between previous theoretical and experimental efforts. Optical cavitation has been used to create model cavitation bubbles nonintrusively within a fluid undergoing a steady shear flow history. The flow-induced deformation of these single bubbles was recorded and analyzed. Originator supplied keywords include: cavitation, rheology, non-Newtonian fluid mechanics, bubbles, nonspherical, viscoelastic liquids, polymers.