Method for predicting boiling curves of saturated nucleate boiling

The present paper proposes a new correlation for nucleate boiling consisting of heat flux, superheat, density of nucleation sites, and a group of physical properties. The correlation is based on a model In which heat transfer occurs primarily by heat conduction through the conduction layers formed under primary bubbles. Nucleation site densities were calculated by combining the correlation with experimental data of q - DeltaT(sat). This procedure yielded a semi-empirical correlation of the densities of nucleation sites that takes into account the effects of growth of neighboring bubbles and changes in wettability with pressure. Combining these two correlations results in a correlation that predicts boiling curves. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.