Kolmogorov Turbulence Coexists with Pseudo-Turbulence in Buoyancy-Driven Bubbly Flows

Abstract

We investigate spectral properties of buoyancy driven bubbly flows. Using high-resolution numerical simulations and phenomenology of homogeneous turbulence, we identify the relevant energy transfer mechanisms. We find: (a) At high enough Galilei number (ratio of the buoyancy to viscous forces) the kinetic energy spectrum shows the Kolmogorov scaling with a power law exponent $-5/3$ for the range of scales between the bubble diameter and the dissipation scale ($\eta$). (b) For scales smaller than $\eta$, the physics of pseudo-turbulence is recovered.