Stages of steady diffusion growth of a gas bubble in strongly supersaturated gas-liquid solution

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the steady diffusion-driven growth of a gas bubble in a strongly supersaturated solution, identifying growth stages, conditions for flux steadiness, and the influence of Laplace forces, with analytical descriptions of the self-similar regime.

Contribution

It introduces a detailed analysis of bubble growth stages under steady diffusion flux, including the effects of Laplace forces and conditions ensuring process irreversibility.

Findings

Identification of three distinct growth stages.

Derivation of bubble size and time intervals considering Laplace forces.

Analytical description of the self-similar growth regime.

Abstract

Gas bubble growth as a result of diffusion flux of dissolved gas molecules from the surrounding supersaturated solution to the bubble surface is studied. The condition of the flux steadiness is revealed. A limitation from below on the bubble radius is considered. Its fulfillment guarantees the smallness of fluctuation influence on bubble growth and irreversibility of this process. Under the conditions of steadiness of diffusion flux three stages of bubble growth are marked out. With account for Laplace forces in the bubble intervals of bubble size change and time intervals of these stages are found. The trend of the third stage towards the self-similar regime of the bubble growth, when Laplace forces in the bubble are completely neglected, is described analytically.