A novel interphase mass transfer model toward the VOF simulation of subcooled flow boiling

Abstract

In this study, a novel interphase mass transfer model has been developed to predict mass and energy exchange in the vicinity of the phase interface. The proposed model involves the new time relaxation parameter which takes into account the effect of the subcooling, the wall superheat, and Reynolds number, and is obtained from simulation results by the method of trial and error. Transient simulations of subcooled flow boiling in Hua’s experimental horizontal rectangular channel are performed. The Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is used to track the vapor–liquid interface using OpenFOAM software package. The constant coefficients of new time relaxation parameter are determined using fitted method. The predicted results show that the deviation between the predicted and experimental wall superheats using the proposed model, which is within 20%, is smaller than that of Lee model. As a further step, the novel interphase mass transfer model has been validated in other experimental data under similar condition. These results indicate that the novel interphase mass transfer model is quite accurate and robust.