Numerical and experimental studies of the dynamics of bubbles coalescence is reported. The numerical method based on the PLIC-VOF method and our advection and surface tension algorithms has been applied to analyse the effect of surface tension and convective terms of the Navier-Stokes equations on air bubbles' coalescence in a quiescent water column. Experimental and numerical results show a mechanical attraction between both bubbles' interface before the coalescence. We analyse the effect of the type of discretization of the convective terms of the Navier-Stokes equations on the shape of bubble after the coalescence phenomenon. Numerical results are in agreement with the images of bubbles' coalescence of our experimental device recorded by a camera. Somes images show obviousness bubbles' coalescence caracterized by an intense liquid jet within the following bubble.
©2011 Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, Berlin/Boston