arXiv subjects

Pu Cui

Publications and source records attributed to Pu Cui.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Supersonic jet dynamics from two-cavitation-bubble interactions: acceleration, tip fragmentation and penetration

This study experimentally and numerically investigates the dynamics of a high-speed liquid jet generated from the interaction of two tandem cavitation bubbles, termed bubble 1 and bubble 2, depending on their generation sequence. In our experiments, two near-identical, highly-energized cavitation bubbles were generated using an underwater electric discharge method, and their transient interactions were captured using a high-speed camera. We identify three distinct jet regimes that emerge from the tip of bubble 2: conical, umbrella-shaped, and spraying jets, characterized by variations in the initial bubble-bubble distance and the initiation time difference. Our numerical simulations using both Volume of Fluid and Boundary Integral methods reproduce the experimental observations quite well and explain the mechanism of jet acceleration. We show that the transition between the regimes is governed by the spatiotemporal characteristics of the pressure wave induced by the collapse of bubble 1, which impacts the high-curvature tip of bubble 2. Specifically, a conical jet forms when the pressure wave impacts the bubble tip prior to its contraction, while an umbrella-shaped jet develops when this impact occurs after the contraction. The spraying jets result from the breakup of the bubble tip, exhibiting mist-like and needle-like morphologies with velocities ranging from 10 to over 1200 m/s. Remarkably, we observe that the penetration distance of spraying jets exceeds ten times the maximum bubble radius, making them ideal for long-range, controlled fluid delivery. Finally, phase diagrams for jet velocity and penetration distance in the $\gamma-\theta$ parameter space are established to provide a practical reference for biomedical applications, such as needle-free injection and micro-pumping.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2025

New insights into the cavitation erosion by bubble collapse at moderate stand-off distances

Non-spherical bubble collapses near solid boundaries, generating water hammer pressures and shock waves, were recognized as key mechanisms for cavitation erosion. However, there is no agreement on local erosion patterns, and cavitation erosion damage lacks quantitative analysis. In our experiments, five distinct local erosion patterns were identified on aluminum sample surfaces, resulting from the collapse of laser-induced cavitation bubbles at moderate stand-off distances of $0.4\le\gamma\le2.2$, namely Bipolar, Monopolar, Annular, Solar-Halo, and Central. Among them, the Bipolar and Monopolar patterns exhibit the most severe cavitation erosion when the toroidal bubbles undergo asymmetrical collapse along the circumferential direction during the second cycle. Shadowgraphy visualization revealed that asymmetrical collapse caused shockwave focusing through head-on collision and oblique superposition of wavefronts. This led to the variations in toroidal bubble radii and the positions of maximum erosion depth not matching at certain stand-off distances. Both initial plasma asymmetry and bubble-wall stand-off distance were critical in determining circumferential asymmetrical collapse behaviors. At large initial aspect ratios, the elliptical jet tips form during the contraction process, resulting in the toroidal bubble collapsing from regions with smaller curvature radii, ultimately converging to the colliding point along the circumferential direction. Our three-dimensional simulations using OpenFOAM successfully reproduce the key features of circumferentially asymmetrical bubble collapse. This study provides new insights into the non-spherical near-wall bubble collapse dynamics and provides a foundation for developing predictive models for cavitation erosion.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2023

Interactions between a central bubble and a surrounding bubble cluster

The interaction of multiple bubbles is a complex physical problem. A simplified case of multiple bubbles is studied theoretically with a bubble located at the center of a circular bubble cluster. All bubbles in the cluster are equally spaced and own the same initial conditions as the central bubble. The unified theory for bubble dynamics (Zhang et al. arXiv:2301.13698) is applied to model the interaction between the central bubble and the circular bubble cluster. To account for the effect of the propagation time of pressure waves, the emission source of the wave is obtained by interpolating the physical information on the time axis. An underwater explosion experiment with two bubbles of different scales is used to validate the theoretical model. The effect of the bubble cluster with a variation in scale on the pulsation characteristics of the central bubble is studied.

physics.flu-dyn↗

arXiv2023

A unified theory for bubble dynamics

In this work, we established a novel theory for the dynamics of oscillating bubbles such as cavitation bubbles, underwater explosion bubbles, and air bubbles. For the first time, we proposed bubble dynamics equations that can simultaneously take into consideration the effects of boundaries, bubble interaction, ambient flow field, gravity, bubble migration, fluid compressibility, viscosity, and surface tension while maintaining a unified and elegant mathematical form. The present theory unifies different classical bubble equations such as the Rayleigh-Plesset equation, the Gilmore equation, and the Keller-Miksis equation. Furthermore, we validated the theory with experimental data of bubbles with a variety in scales, sources, boundaries, and ambient conditions and showed the advantages of our theory over the classical theoretical models, followed by a discussion on the applicability of the present theory based on a comparison to simulation results with different numerical methods. Finally, as a demonstration of the potential of our theory, we modeled the complex multi-cycle bubble interaction with wide ranges of energy and phase differences and gained new physical insights into inter-bubble energy transfer and coupling of bubble-induced pressure waves.

physics.flu-dyn↗