AbstractIn this work, we propose and test the validity of a phase-field method tailored specifically for modeling boiling phenomena. The method relies on numerical solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations coupled with a phase-field method and the energy equation. The continuity and Navier–Stokes equations have been modified introducing a source term that accounts for phase change. Likewise, in the conservative Allen–Cahn equation (phase-field method) a source term that accounts for the volume is introduced. The system of governing equations is solved using a projection-correction method and equations are discretized using a second-order finite difference approach. Thanks to the numerical discretization employed, a constant coefficient Poisson equation for pressure is obtained, which can be efficiently solved using FFT-based direct solvers. The proposed method is validated against several benchmarks: an interface undergoing vaporization at a constant rate, the Stefan problem, the adsorption problem, and the growth of a 2D vapor bubble. For all the benchmarks, the present method well matches with analytical and archival literature results for a wide range of vapor-to-liquid density ratios, from $$\rho _v/\rho _l = 1$$ ρ v / ρ l = 1 down to $$\rho _v/\rho _l \simeq 5 \times 10^{-4}$$ ρ v / ρ l ≃ 5 × 10 - 4 (where $$\rho _v$$ ρ v identifies the vapor density and $$\rho _l$$ ρ l the liquid density).
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