Author(s): Ulises Dehesa-Carrasco; Juan C. Chevez-Labastida; J. Agustin Brena-Naranjo; Jonathan Ibarra-Bahena
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Keywords: Computational fluid dynamics; Microbubbles; Wastewater treatment
Abstract: Microbubbles (MB) are volumetric elements of a gas suspended in a liquid medium, formed by surface tension. They range in size from 0.5 to 100 μm and possess properties that facilitate chemical reactions, water aeration processes, mineral flotation, and other applications. MBs can be generated using ozone and employed for wastewater treatment and/or pest control in agriculture. In this work, computational fluid dynamics techniques are used to analyse the hydrodynamic interaction of a fluid passing through a rotating mechanical impeller to generate MBs. The results show that at velocities of 7.2 m s⁻¹, pressure gradients of 1.28 bar are generated, giving rise to local eddies, and when these fluid structures come into contact with the shear forces of the pump’s impeller blades, they form a consortium of fine bubbles.
Year: 2026