Nonlinear void-fraction waves in two-phase bubbly flow (Q1103490)

It is shown that nonlinear void-fraction waves constitute exact solutions of the two-fluid equations for bubbly flow, if and only if the virtual- mass coefficient m(\(\alpha)\) is a definite function of the void fraction \(\alpha\). For spherical bubbles \(m(\alpha)=(1/2)\alpha (1-\alpha)(1- 3\alpha)\). Most of the physical quantities of a nonlinear void-fraction wave depend linearly on \(\alpha\). The virtual-mass coefficient may be derived directly from a special form of Hamilton's variational principle.