Nucleate boiling simulation using interface tracking method

Abstract

The development and validation of 3D multiphase computational fluid dynamics (M-CFD) models and physics-informed data-driven modeling require data of high-quality and high-resolution. Considering the difficulties in acquiring the corresponding experimental data in prototypical conditions, two-phase boiling simulations by Interface Tracking Method (ITM) based models can be used to generate high-resolution numerical data in a consistent and relatively economical manner. A boiling model is developed in one of the ITM-based multiphase-flow solvers, named PHASTA, to investigate the nucleate boiling phenomenon. The interaction between bubbles forming at adjacent nucleation sites is investigated with this ITM boiling model. Nucleate pool boiling simulations with multiple nucleation sites are presented in this paper. Theinfluences of site distance, neighboring bubble size and contact angle effect are investigated. The presented boiling simulations are conducted on 3D unstructured computational meshes. These simulation results improve our understanding of the physical mechanisms of the nucleate boiling phenomenon and provide high-resolution numerical data for M-CFD validation and advanced boiling model development.