Vapor–liquid interfacial dynamics and related liquid nitrogen boiling on perforated plates

Abstract

For the switch from terrestrial gravity (“1 g”) to micro-gravity, we investigate vapor–liquid interfaces and their control in simulation studies and experiments. An improved level set method is presented for vapor bubble kinematics prediction. In view of a wide range of vapor bubble dynamics phenomena, our initial experimental investigations have focused on film boiling in and near perforated plates immersed in liquid nitrogen. A “zeroth order” approximation of transport based on minimum energy expenditure rates provides information on mean field vapor thickness. We have measured thermal conductance for the zero net mass flow case and finite mass flow. The data are compared with results obtained in comparison runs for single solid plates.