Liquid Heat Transfer Research Articles

Experimental investigation of liquid jet impingement heat transfer at superhydrophobic surfaces

This paper presents an experimental exploration of thermal transport due to a water jet impinging on post patterned superhydrophobic surfaces and provides the first experimental data for this problem. The surface is heated to temperatures much lower than the saturation value. Results are obtained for a smooth hydrophobic surface and superhydrophobic surfaces with varying microfeature pitch (w = 8, 16, and 24 µm) and cavity fraction (Fc = 0.56 and 0.85) and are compared to results derived from a previously published analytical model. The jet Reynolds number varied from 1.1 × 104 to 1.7 × 104 and the nominal surface heat flux varied from 2.5 × 104 to 4.9 × 104 W/m2. Results obtained for all superhydrophobic surfaces show a significant decrease in the local and average Nusselt numbers (up to 30 % reduction) compared to impingement on a smooth surface. Further, the reduction is a strong function of the surface post and cavity geometric parameters. The effective temperature jump length is determined for all scenarios considered, representing the first experimental measurements of temperature jump length for heat transfer at superhydrophobic surfaces. Functional relationships showing how the average Nusselt number and the non-dimensional temperature jump length depend on the superhydrophobic surface parameters are also presented.

Development of a heat transfer model for the film boiling regime in a fouling layer

Fouling accumulation on fuel claddings and steam generators of pressurized water reactors can significantly affect boiling heat transfer. The present study proposes a heat transfer model for the film boiling regime in a fouling layer. The proposed model assumes that heat transfer in the fouling layer occurs in three modes: boiling, liquid convective heat transfer within the fouling and at the coolant-foulng interface. The thickness of the steam film within the fouling is determined by the pressure balance method. The prediction error of the present model for wall superheat is about 20%. The sensitivity analysis results show that the pore size significantly influences heat transfer, and the wall superheat can vary by up to 200K within the maximum pore diameter range of the fouling layer. However, chimney tilt angle has a negligible effect on heat transfer since the pressure drop in the steam chimney accounts for only a small proportion.

Computational heat transfer analysis of liquid food in a heat exchanger with varying stirrer settings in a nonclassical continuum framework

Rapid heat diffusion and stirring of food in channels and tanks for more desirable and safely regulated food delivery is of particular interest in food industry. In the present article, we investigate heat diffusion in a heat exchanger with varying stirrer settings in a nonclassical framework. Interestingly, the liquid food flows in all previous investigations are modeled using the classical continuous paradigm. Therefore, the purpose of this article is to offer a mathematical model that uses a nonclassical continuum framework to mimic the behavior of liquid food flows. This is influenced by the fact that during the stirring process, food particle microrotations affect the heat diffusion phenomenon, necessitating consideration of this in the modeling aspect of such studies. This non-Newtonian physical process is modeled based on the well-established theory of Cosserat continuum. The mathematical model presented here is taking into consideration a newly established constitutive relation by the author for the strain-based viscosity models in non-Newtonian mechanics. The applied constitutive relation incorporates the microrotational effects into the current rheology of rate-dependent viscosity model as a result of the kinematics at the macroscopic level. It offers a more practical method for examining the heat diffusion process in a heat exchanger. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this approach is first of its kind in analyzing heat diffusion process within non-Newtonian mechanics. The presented strain-based viscosity model is described in the form of PDEs along with prescribed boundary conditions. An in-house code is developed based on finite element method. The code is implemented using FreeFEM++. Liquid food flow in a heating process is analyzed numerically for heat transfer characteristics with varying Cosserat number and other physical aspects. Simulations are performed in a channel connecting a tank with different stirrer settings. Computed results are analyzed in a limiting case for accuracy and a strong agreement is achieved with the available solutions from the literature. Some interesting features of the liquid food flow and heat transfer are presented and discussed. It is observed that when liquid food particles rotate faster, the temperature difference between the walls also increases. The temperature difference between the top and bottom walls of the liquid food tank increases with faster speed of stirrers. Rise in the Cosserat number results in a dispersed vortices throughout the liquid food tank. The temperature differential between the liquid food tank’s top and bottom walls rises as a result of an increase in the microrotational motions of the food particles. Moreover, the microrotational motion of the liquid food particles rises with an increase in Cosserat number, enabling effective particle mixing.

Molecular dynamics study of boiling heat transfer in nanochannels under capillary flow

The increasing heat flux of electronic devices poses significant challenges in thermal management. Passive heat dissipation technology based on capillary drive has been widely concerned because it does not require external driving force and stability. However, due to the small size of the internal capillary structure, typically in the micro and nano scales, and the significant scale effect, further research is needed to understand the mechanism of internal boiling heat transfer. This study systematically investigates the boiling process of liquid in nanochannels under capillary flow with varying wettability using molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that increasing the energy coefficient (c) causes a greater accumulation of atoms near the wall, thereby enhancing the efficiency of solid–liquid heat transfer. The bubble has a larger stable volume as c increases and will burst in the case of high c. As c increases, the region of high potential and kinetic energy expands more rapidly, reducing the time it takes for bubble nucleation and rupture. The behavior of bubbles is significantly influenced by capillary flow, which is also influenced by wettability. When c = 0.9, the flow velocity reaches its maximum before bubble nucleation occurs. It leads to a more homogeneous heat transfer, resulting in a higher location of bubble nucleation. Furthermore, the presence of capillary forces increases the average potential energy of surrounding liquid atoms, thereby enhancing the growth rate of the bubble. This study provides a theoretical basis for the optimal design of capillary-driven two-phase heat dissipation devices.

Heat transfer and magnetic hydrodynamics of liquid in a spherical layer. Part 2

Heat transfer and magnetic hydrodynamics of liquid in a spherical layer. Part 2

Quantitative characterization of the pseudo-boiling contribution to supercritical heat transfer

This paper explores the supercritical heat transfer mechanism by characterizing the boiling contribution ratio qb/q, where qb is the boiling heat flux and q is the applied heat flux. Experiments are performed using nickel–chromium wire in 15 °C liquid carbon dioxide at 5.2, 7.6, 9.0, and 11.0 MPa. The evaporation heat flux qe is the amount of heat used for vapor generation, while qb is the heat transfer in the bulk liquid due to the disturbance of the flow/temperature field by vapor–liquid interface motion. A data processing procedure is developed to measure qb/q from the captured images. Similar trends appear for both supercritical pseudo-boiling and subcritical boiling. The evaporation-like regime at supercritical pressures reaches qb/q = 0.21–0.43, while the film boiling (evaporation) regime achieves qb/q = 0.08. In the supercritical-boiling-like regime, qb/q increases sharply from 0.19 to 0.65, whereas in the subcritical-nucleate-boiling regime, qb/q maintains a value of 0.30 followed by a rapid rise to 0.68 under a vigorous bubble merging and departing mechanism. At both subcritical and supercritical pressures, the heat transfer deteriorates in the evaporation regime, but is significantly enhanced by phase-change-induced flow/temperature field perturbations. The boiling curves differ in the two pressure domains. At supercritical pressures, natural convection transitions smoothly to the evaporation-like regime, then to the boiling-like regime. At subcritical pressures, a steep transition from natural convection to nucleate boiling occurs, and then, film boiling is induced through the action of surface tension. The above findings complete the inverse boiling curves in the two pressure domains.

Unlocking the Potential of Magnetic Refrigeration: Investigating the Compatibility of the Ga-Based Liquid Metal with a La(Fe,Mn,Si)13Hz Magnetocaloric Material for Enhanced Long-Term Stability.

Magnetic refrigeration (MR) is a cutting-edge technology that promises high energy efficiency and eco-friendliness, making it an exciting alternative to traditional refrigeration systems. However, the main challenge to its widespread adoption is cost competitiveness. In this context, the use of liquid metals as heat transfer liquids in the MR has been proposed as a game-changing solution. Unfortunately, the toxicity and flammability of these liquid metals have raised serious concerns, limiting their practical use. In this study, we investigate the compatibility of a nontoxic and nonflammable GaInSn-based liquid metal with a magnetocaloric material, La(Fe,Mn,Si)13Hz, over a 1.5 year period. Our findings reveal nearly a 14% reduction in specific cooling energy and peak-specific isothermal magnetic entropy change for the considered magnetocaloric material. Our study provides valuable insights into the long-term stability of magnetocaloric materials and their compatibility with liquid metals, facilitating the development of more cost-effective and sustainable MR systems.

Numerical study of falling film flow and heat transfer on the horizontal tube with a porous coating layer

Porous surfaces often exhibit exceptional performance in liquid spreading and heat transfer, making them promising candidates for enhancing falling film heat transfer on solid surfaces. This paper delves into the flow and heat transfer characteristics occurring within falling films on horizontal tubes coated with a porous layer. To achieve this, a three-dimensional numerical model that couples the Volume of Fluid (VOF) method with porous media considerations was employed. The investigation comprehensively covers film spreading behavior, flow patterns, film velocity, film thickness, temperature distribution, and heat transfer coefficients, for both plain and porous tubes. Furthermore, we delve into the effects of key parameters, such as porosity, layer thickness, and material properties, on the overall heat transfer process. The results demonstrate the accuracy of our model in reproducing film thickness and heat transfer coefficients within falling films on horizontal porous tubes. When comparing plain tubes to porous ones, some key differences emerge. Specifically, the liquid film on porous tubes spreads more slowly, leading to increased film thickness and fewer occurrences of dry patches. Additionally, porous tubes result in lower film velocity and a more uniform temperature field compared to plain tubes. Interestingly, the findings reveal that smaller porosities yield thicker films and higher heat transfer coefficients, particularly when the porosity is below 0.4. Moreover, thicker porous layers result in thinner films, higher wetting ratios, and increased heat transfer coefficients. Among the materials we tested, aluminum and copper porous layers exhibit the highest heat transfer performance, while steel demonstrates the lowest.

Optimum thermal design for heat and mass transfer of non-Newtonian liquid within converging conduit with thermal jump and zero-mass flux

The performance of heat transfer materials is strongly dependent on physical characteristics such as viscosity, thermal conductivity, and density. Among these, evolving thermal conductivity is a critical element in fluid heat transmission. In general, the poor thermal conductivity of industrial fluids is a significant barrier for heat transfer properties. The problem, however, has been revealed with the emergence of nanoparticles generated by various materials. This effort aims to demonstrate the mass and heat transfer attributes of the Carreau nanofluid through non-parallel channel with zero mass flux and variable thermal conductivity. The Buongiorno nanofluid model introduces the dual diffusion phenomena of nanomaterial. The analysis are carried out after reduction of governing ODE's into first order. The reduced equations are tickled numerically with Rung-Kutta method. The findings demonstrate that the thermal source, Brownian motion and thermal conductivity parameters exhibits a linear ascent on temperature profile, whereas effect of Prandtl number Pr is conflicting. The mass transfer rate is impacted negatively by the mass diffusivity value. The existence of the variables thermal conductivity factor ∈1 and mass diffusivity ∈2 leads to an elevated rate of heat and mass transmission. In the current investigation, a comparison is made for heat and mass transfer performance.

Nanofluid flow in presence of disturber for solar application utilizing numerical method

Development of modern heat exchangers and solar collectors is related with an improvement of heat transfer liquids or modification of the heat transfer surfaces. The latter can be achieved employing the special tapes within the working channels of heat exchangers, while the former is illustrated by loading of nano-powders into base liquids. In current simulation, energy transport and exergy loss of aluminum oxide nanoliquid within a solar collector is presented. Helical twisted tape (HTT) and nanotechnology are used as passive ways for the heat transfer augmentation. Computations of turbulent nanoliquid motion and energy transport in a duct with a HTT were performed. Concentration of nanoparticles is considered to be 0.03. Physical properties of the nanoliquid were assessed with employing special correlations. Results are examined for various magnitudes of revolution (N), Reynolds number (Re) and diameter ratio (D*). Exergy ratio detracts with rise of diameter ratio. So, second law efficiency enhances with augment of N. Also, augmenting all parameters result in lower exergy loss.

Entropy analysis of electromagnetic trihybrid nanofluid flow with temperature-dependent viscosity in a Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium over a stretching sheet under convective conditions

This study introduces a novel theoretical model known as the trihybrid nanofluid (THNF), which demonstrates remarkable thermal conductivity properties to enhance heat transfer in liquids. The base liquid (H2O) was employed to immerse nanoparticles of Cu, Al2O3, and TiO2, thereby resulting in the creation of a THNF (Cu + Al2O3 + TiO2/H2O). This research focuses on the entropy generation of electromagnetic THNF flow in a Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium over a stretching sheet under convective conditions. The analysis considers the intricate interplay between various factors, including convection, radiation, heat source, chemical processes, and cross-diffusion effects. Complex partial differential equations for flow, energy, and concentration are transformed into nonlinear ordinary differential equations using similarity transformations. The Runge–Kutta–Fehlberg method with a shooting mechanism is used to solve these ODEs. The comprehensive graphical analysis visually exemplifies the impact of significant parameters on the profiles of velocity, temperature, and concentration, in conjunction with skin friction, Nusselt, and Sherwood numbers. The flow velocity decreased by 8.89 % in NFs with higher viscosity and Darcy-Forchheimer porous medium values, but it accelerated by 13.64 % in THNF with more convection. Electric fields boost THNF velocity and temperature by 20.94 % and 14.27 % respectively, while stronger magnetic fields reduce NF velocity by 15.34 % and elevate THNF temperature by 7.52 %. THNFs show the largest temperature increase of 18.67 % due to radiation, while it decreases by more than 7.51 % for NFs with an increasing Prandtl number. NP concentration drops by 10.19 % when Schmidt and chemical reactions increase. Elevating electric and magnetic fields can reduce heat transfer by 4.78 % and entropy generation by at least 6.45 % in NFs, while increasing the Bejan number by up to 18.83 % in THNFs. Radiation and diffusion increase the entropy generation by 6.71 % and decrease the Bejan number by 7.98 %.

Two-phase flow and heat transfer on a cylinder via low-velocity jet impact

Combining the benefits of jet impact and phase-transition heat transfer, jet impact boiling has been widely adopted in industrial scenarios. Notably, owing to limitations of high-velocity jets, such as high impact stress and pumping pressure in liquid circuits, low-velocity jet impacting deserves more attention and explorations. In this paper, under an atmospheric environment with wall heating temperatures ranging from 36 °C to 128 °C, the two-phase flow and heat transfer characteristics (local surface temperature, boiling curves and liquid loss rate) of low-velocity jet impacting on a cylindrical surface are investigated by experiment, followed by the analysis on the effects of jet outlet velocity and impact height. The findings reveal that, with the increase of heat transfer rate, the heat transfer regimes in sequence are non-phase transition (single-phase convection and air-liquid two-phase convection) and nucleate boiling. The influences of jet impact height and outlet velocity on local surface temperatures are pronounced at non-phase transition stage. In impact region, along with average superheat, the growth rates of heat transfer rate and liquid loss rate increase significantly from non-phase transition to nucleate boiling stage, and slow down at anaphase of nucleate boiling stage. Interestingly, the increase in outlet velocity delays the onset of slowdown in growth of liquid loss rate to some extent. Overall, the heat transfer rate and liquid loss rate are significantly enhanced at higher jet outlet velocity of 0.60 m/s, but not affected significantly by impact height.

A Superhydrophobic Anti-Icing Surface with a Honeycomb Nanopore Structure

Recently, the icing disaster of transmission lines has been a serious threat to the safe operation of the power system. A superhydrophobic (SHP) anti-icing surface with a honeycomb nanopore structure was constructed using anodic oxidation technology combined with a vacuum infusion process. When the current density was 87.5 mA/cm2, the honeycomb porous surface had the best superhydrophobic performance (excellent water mobility), lowest ice-adhesion strength (0.7 kPa) and best anti-frosting performance. Compared with other types of alumina surfaces, the ice-adhesion strength of the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) was only 0.2% of that of the bare surface. The frosting time of the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) was 150 min, which was much slower. The former is attributed to the air cushion within the porous structure and the stress concentration, and the latter is attributed to the self-transition of the droplets and low solid–liquid heat transfer area. After 100 icing or frosting cycles, the SHP surface (87.5 mA/cm2) maintained a low ice-adhesion strength and superhydrophobic performance. This is because the anodic oxidation process forms a hard porous film, and the nano porous structure with a high aspect ratio can store modifiers to realize self-healing. The results indicate that the SHP surface with a honeycomb nanopore structure presents excellent anti-icing performance and durability.

Exploration of motion of methanol experiencing alumina and silica nanoparticles with emphasis on multiple solutions

There is an increasing industrial demand to improve the thermal characteristics of fluids as they flow over stretching/shrinking and rotating surfaces. Heat transfer liquids, thermal exchangers, and coolants in electronics are examples of applicable applications. The thermal transport characteristics of hybrid nanofluids are improved by the inclusion of composite nanoparticles. Because the hybrid nanofluids can improve thermal conductivity compared to traditional fluids. However, several investigations are still needed to fully comprehend its features. Hence, this study investigates the fluid flow and thermal transport properties of thermally radiated hybrid alumina-silica/methanol nanofluid in a three-dimensional domain through a permeable porous shrinking surface. The hybrid nanofluid flow model of PDEs is transformed into ODEs by using similarity conversion, which is then numerically solved in MATLAB using the bvp4c solver. The characteristics of hybrid nanofluid velocity, thermal distribution, friction drag, and heat transport rate are graphically depicted for various physical flow parameters. The outcomes reveal that the range of first and second solutions can be augmented by increasing nanoparticle volume percentage. Furthermore, the results suggest that increasing the suction parameter can improve the effective heat transfer performance of the hybrid nanofluid whereas thermal radiation and heat source/sink parameters have no effect on delaying the boundary layer separation.

Study on Phase Change Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Microalgae Slurry in the Absorber Tube of a Parabolic trough Solar Collector

The study of gas–liquid two-phase flow and heat transfer in non-Newtonian fluids is of great significance for the research and development of refrigeration and energy storage. In this paper, the characteristics and influencing factors of the phase change reaction in microalgae slurry were studied by numerical simulation and experimental verification. In order to further study the rheological and heat transfer characteristics of gas–liquid two-phase flow in the collector, the effects of wall heat flux, inlet velocity and microalgae slurry concentration on the phase change reaction in microalgae slurry were studied. The results show that when the boundary conditions of microalgae slurry with the same concentration change, the phase transition of microalgae slurry is different. The higher the wall heat flux, the more forward the phase transition occurs, and the smaller the flow rate, the more forward the phase transition occurs. When the boundary conditions remain unchanged, the phase transition point of microalgae slurry with different concentrations is the same, and the concentration of microalgae slurry will not be affected. However, the deviation between the fluid temperature and the thermal conductivity of high-concentration fluid after phase change is larger than that of low-concentration fluids. The deviation in the fluid temperature reaches approximately 10 K, and the deviation in thermal conductivity reaches approximately 0.025 W/(m·K). Therefore, the change in the fluid temperature and heat transfer intensity after phase change in microalgae slurry is more intense than that of Newtonian fluids.

Physical insight into thermal analysis of magnetohydrodynamic stagnation point flow of micropolar nanofluid across a flexible surface equipped with porous medium and Fourier and Fick's law

AbstractNanofluids represent a novel heat transfer liquid, making them an efficient medium for enhancing energy transmission. Nevertheless, significant knowledge gaps still exist concerning current strategies for improving heat transfer in nanofluids, underscoring the necessity for comprehensive research on these fluid systems. Therefore, this study considered theoretical analysis retrieves the influence of radiative two‐dimensional stagnation point flow of second‐grade micropolar fluid flow about an elongated channel surface implanted in porous media with magnetic effect, and modified heat and mass flux is under consideration. The major novel effect of the current study is to analyze the activation energy and thermal aspect of the system in the presence of nonlinear radiation effects that are considered in the revised mathematical framework by utilizing the boundary layer theory. The resulting set of coupled partial differential equations is further reduced and transformed into a dimensionless system of ordinary differential equations through appropriate scaling invariants. We initiate the RKF‐45 investigation scheme to numerically analyze the transformed dimensionless system, considering relevant parameters. The computational algorithm is implemented using MATLAB programming syntax. Plotted visuals are revealed for leading parameters against pertinent flow profiles graphically and with numerical data. Additionally, the convergence analysis of the numerical results for various flow profiles of the fluids were compared to establish the authenticity of the proposed flow problem. These research findings play a significant role in controlling heat transfer rates and fluid velocities in diverse manufacturing processes and industrial applications, ultimately aiding in achieving the desired product quality.

Evolution of liquid–vapour interface during film boiling on sphere

The dynamics of the liquid–vapour interface during stable liquid film boiling on a spherical heater is described by formulating a complete system of equations. The dynamics of the interface surface is analysed using the Rayleigh equation considering the non-equilibrium effects near the vapour–liquid interface in the boundary conditions. Heat transfer in the vapour phase is determined by the thermal conductivity and radiation and that in liquid is described by solving the unsteady thermal conductivity equation. The closed mathematical description is reduced to a system of ordinary differential equations with corresponding initial and boundary conditions under certain assumptions. For high efficiency liquid heat transfer cases, the system of equations can be simplified owing to zero mass flux across the interface. Finally, the system of equations is solved for sub-cooled water and superfluid helium; the corresponding temporal dependences of the vapour films radiuses are presented.The aim of this work is to propose a method for calculating the evolution of the vapour film during film boiling of highly thermally conductive and subcooled liquids, taking into account the molecular-kinetic features of heat and mass transfer processes on the liquid-vapour interfaces.

A comparative analysis of dovetail and rectangular fins with insulated tips wetted with ZnO-SAE 50 nanolubricant for energy transfer process

This study focuses on exploring innovative methods of energy conservation specifically through the nonlinear fin equation. To improve the heat transfer efficiency in cooling systems, the research suggests utilizing nano lubricants that possess superior thermo-physical properties. Unlike other nanofluids, the use of nanolubricants can decrease corrosion and abrasion in operational parts such as the bore-piston, gasket, and valve mechanisms. The study concentrates on the temperature distribution in both rectangular and longitudinal dovetail fins utilized in double-pipe heat exchanger applications. The energy equation is formulated to consider radiation, temperature-dependent internal heat generation, and wetted conditions, and is subsequently transformed into a dimensionless form. Numerical solutions to the resulting differential equation are obtained through the utilization of the collocation method. The study explores the use of a specific heat transfer liquid (ZnO-SAE 50) nanolubricant to analyze thermal dispersion in both straight rectangular and dovetail fins. Additionally, it investigates how temperature-dependent internal heat generation impacts convection-conduction heat transfer. The study finds that an increase in surface emissivity results in greater heat transfer through the fin's surface in the presence of nanolubricant.

Numerical study of condensation heat transfer performance and liquid film distribution characteristics in small-scale helium liquefiers

At present, the liquefaction rate of small-scale helium liquefiers using 4 K cryocoolers is generally low. Helium condensation, the most critical heat transfer process in the system, is seldomly studied, and the design of condenser lacks accurate theoretical guidance. In this study, a CFD model for the film condensation of helium on the surfaces of condensers in small-scale helium liquefiers was established and verified. Compared with cryogenic fluids such as nitrogen, in the condensation of helium, the temperature difference and thermal resistance between the gas-liquid interface and saturated vapor cannot be ignored under small condensation temperature differences. On different surfaces of a cylindrical condenser, the thickness of liquid film on the vertical surface is lower than those on the horizontal surfaces, and its heat transfer coefficient is 1–3 times than those of horizontal surfaces. When the cooling capacity increases from 1 W to 2 W at 4.21 K, with the increase of the condensation temperature difference and thermal resistance brought by liquid film, the average heat transfer coefficient of condenser decreases from 530 W/(m2 K) to 446 W/(m2 K), the condensation efficiency decreases by 11.7 %. This study aims to provide theoretical guidance for the optimal design of the helium condensers in small-scale helium liquefiers.

Model Validation and Sensitivity Analysis of Coupled Non‐Equilibrium Heat and Mass Transfer in Porous Media With Application to Evaporation From Bare Soils

AbstractMathematical models in engineering play an important role in understanding and predicting the behavior of a system. A mechanistic coupled liquid water, water vapor and heat transfer model incorporating kinetic phase change accounting for real‐time interfacial area between water and gas phases was developed to predict coupled subsurface processes and evaporation (drying) rates from bare soils. To enhance the model capability to predict evaporation rates, the air resistance associated with the viscous sublayer was implemented in energy and mass exchange across the soil‐air interface (the land‐atmosphere boundary condition [BC]). The atmospheric stability condition was also considered in the calculation of sensible heat and vapor fluxes at the ground surface. This comprehensive model was validated against measured field data from bare soil test plots from a green roof study, during temperate summer conditions in Canada, demonstrating that the model captured the main coupled processes in the subsurface of bare soil during drying periods. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the importance of various components of the comprehensive model. Removal of viscous sublayer resistance in the vapor transfer BC resulted in poorer predictions of evaporation (drying) rates. Incorporating the atmospheric stability function accounting for real‐time atmospheric conditions did not improve the predictive capability for the simulated drying events compared to the case when only a neutral atmospheric condition was implemented. Neglecting heat transfer associated with hydrodynamic dispersion of water vapor in the subsurface had limited impact on subsurface temperature predictions.