Bubble Trap

Description: A bubble trap is a deceptively simple device that solves an important problem in chemical and process engineering: removing unwanted gas bubbles from a liquid stream, relying purely on buoyancy to let bubble-laden fluid slow down inside a chamber so the lighter gas rises and separates while clean liquid exits below. This project uses ANSYS Fluent to simulate that separation process and observe the trap performing its function in real time.

Methodology: The 2D geometry, built in SpaceClaim, features a mixture of water and bubbles entering through a side wall with a lower outlet for purified water to exit, meshed in ANSYS Meshing with roughly 32,000 cells. Because the separation depends on the density difference between the two phases, the Volume of Fluid model tracks the air-water interface, with gravity applied in the Y direction to drive the buoyant separation; the flow is treated as laminar and solved as unsteady so the full development of the separation process can be captured over time.

Analysis: The results follow the complete sequence: the trap starts filled with water, the incoming mixture introduces bubbles, and the lighter gas phase rises to escape through the top outlet while clean water leaves through the bottom, exactly matching the intended function of the device. A transient animation captures this separation as it unfolds, giving a clear picture of how effectively buoyancy-driven phase separation performs in a gas-liquid trap.