The growth of a vapor bubble in a superheated liquid is controlled by three factors: the inertia of the liquid, the surface tension, and the vapor pressure. As the bubble grows, evaporation takes place at the bubble boundary, and the temperature and vapor pressure in the bubble are thereby decreased. The heat inflow requirement of evaporation, however, depends on the rate of bubble growth, so that the dynamic problem is linked with a heat diffusion problem. Since the heat diffusion problem has been solved, a quantitative formulation of the dynamic problem can be given. A solution for the radius of the vapor bubble as a function of time is obtained which is valid for sufficiently large radius. This asymptotic solution covers the range of physical interest since the radius at which it becomes valid is near the lower limit of experimental observation. It shows the strong effect of heat diffusion on the rate of bubble growth. Comparison of the predicted radius‐time behavior is made with experimental observations in superheated water, and very good agreement is found.

The growth of vapor bubbles in superheated liquids. report no. 26-6

It is now well-known that the wake transition regime for a circular cylinder involves two modes of small-scale three-dimensional instability (modes “A” and “B”; Williamson, 1988), depending on the regime of Reynolds number (Re), although almost no understanding of the physical origins of these instabilities, or indeed their effects on near wake formation, have hitherto been made clear. There is now some strong interest in this problem, coming not only from experiment, but also from Direct Numerical Simulation, where, in some cases, these modes A and B have been found clearly (Thompson & Hourigan, 1996; Zhang et al., 1995; Henderson, 1995; Mittal & Balachandar, 1996). Much of the recent surge of activity concerning the wake transition and development of turbulence in wakes has been addressed comprehensively in a review paper. Williamson (1996a).

Three-dimensional wake transition

Bubble growth rates at high Jakob numbers

Bubble growth rates in pure and binary systems: Combined effect of relaxation and evaporation microlayers

Nucleation of Freezing by Cavity Collapse and its Relation to Cavitation Damage

During the growth of a spherical vapor bubble in a superheated liquid the inertial and surface tension effects rapidly become negligible, so that most of the growth occurs in an asymptotic stage characterized by an essentially constant bubble pressure. The asymptotic bubble behavior in initially nonuniform temperature fields is studied. An explicit formula for the bubble radius relation for a general spherically symmetric initial condition is derived. Application is made to the problem of nucleate boiling on a heated surface, where two dimensionless parameters are found to be important. Bubble radius vs time curves are determined and presented graphically for typical values of these parameters. Plots of maximum bubble radius, the time at which the maximum occurs and the average growth velocity are given for the case of subcooled boiling.

L. A. Skinner

Papers

Dynamics of vapor bubbles in spherically symmetric temperature fields of general variation