A Smoothed Void Fraction Approach for the Detection of Bubble Clusters

A new method is proposed for the detection and characterization of bubble clusters in the framework of Euler-Lagrange simulations. It is based on the definition of the smoothed void fraction which depends only on geometrical information, i.e. on the bubble positions. Two variants are proposed, one in an Eulerian fashion and a more efficient one in a Lagrangian style. Both techniques are applied to a vertical channel flow laden with monodispersed bubbles.