Dynamics and Heat Transfer Associated With a Single Bubble During Nucleate Boiling on a Horizontal Surface

TLDR

A finite‑difference solver with a level‑set interface and disjoining‑pressure model captures mass, momentum, and energy conservation in the vapor‑liquid layers. The simulation shows the wall‑contact region of the bubble expands then retracts, quantifies the influence of static contact angle and wall superheat on bubble dynamics, and predicts bubble growth that agrees with experimental data.

Abstract

In this study, a complete numerical simulation of a growing and departing bubble on a horizontal surface has been performed. A finite difference scheme is used to solve the equations governing conservation of mass, momentum, and energy in the vapor-liquid layers. The vapor-liquid interface is captured by a level set method which is modified to include the influence of phase change at the liquid-vapor interphase. The disjoining pressure effect is included in the numerical analysis to account for heat transfer through the liquid microlayer. From the numerical simulation, the location where the vapor-liquid interface contacts the wall is observed to expand and then retract as the bubble grows and departs. The effect of static contact angle and wall superheat on bubble dynamics has been quantified. The bubble growth predicted from numerical analysis has been found to compare well with the experimental data reported in the literature and that obtained in this work.