Attainable superheating of liquid n-butane

Abstract

Temperatures of the attainable superheating of liquid n-butane have been determined at pressures from 0.4 to 2.0 MPa in the range of nucleation rates J = 104–108 s−1 m−3. The data obtained have been compared with classical nucleation theory (CNT). At J > 106 s−1 m−3, satisfactory agreement between theory and experiment has been noted in both the value of the limiting superheating and the slope of the temperature dependence of the nucleation rate. It is shown that temperatures of the attainable superheatings of hydrocarbons of the methane series satisfy the one-parameter similarity. The possibility of manifestation of heterogeneous nucleation in experiment is discussed.