A proposed mechanism for hydrodynamically-controlled onset of significant void in microtubes

Abstract

Data and analysis have shown that bubble nucleation and ebullition phenomena in microchannels are different than in large channels. The macroscale models and correlations often fail to predict data representing bubble ebullition processes in microchannels. It is hypothesized here that hydrodynamically-controlled onset of significant void in microchannels is due to bubble departure from wall cavities, and the latter process may be controlled by thermocapillary and aerodynamic forces that act on the bubble. Accordingly, the limited available relevant experimental data are semi-analytically modeled, and the soundness of the proposed hypothesis is shown.