Lattice Boltzmann simulation of periodic bubble nucleation, growth and departure from a heated surface in pool boiling

Continuous and periodic bubble nucleation, growth, and departure from a heated surface in pool boiling is investigated numerically based on a newly developed phase-change lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). This new method is a direct simulation of liquid-vapor phase change heat transfer which is determined by the thermodynamic relation given by the equation of state. Two-dimensional numerical simulations based on this new phase-change LBM are carried out for nucleation of water on a microheater under constant wall temperature and constant heat flux conditions, respectively. Effects of gravity, contact angle and superheat on bubble departure diameter and release period under constant wall temperature conditions are illustrated. The three-phase contact line movement of the vapor bubble, as well as temperature profiles and flow fields inside and outside of the vapor bubble during boiling process are analyzed. Other important information, such as nucleation waiting time and nucleation temperature under constant heat flux conditions, which was unable to obtain by other numerical simulation methods, is obtained and analyzed in this paper for the first time. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.