On physical considerations regarding development and validation of Heat Flux Partitioning models: Application to vertical boiling flows simulations

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new heat flux partitioning model for vertical boiling flows, incorporating bubble coalescence effects, validated against experimental data to improve wall boiling simulations.

Contribution

A novel heat flux partitioning model for vertical boiling flows is proposed, including bubble coalescence, and validated through comprehensive experiments and literature data comparison.

Findings

Model accurately predicts boiling curves and physical parameters.

Validation shows the importance of separate model validation.

Limits of the heat flux partitioning approach are discussed.

Abstract

As part of a critical assessment of wall boiling modeling through Heat Flux Partitioning approach, a new model dedicated to vertical boiling flows is proposed, with a revisited partitioning including a boiling heat flux related to bubble coalescence. Closure laws include a recent model for bubble dynamics, a new correlation for the bubble maximum lift-off diameter, and comprehensive selection of existing models for nucleation site density and bubble wait time. Each formulation are compared to relevant existing data from the literature in order to emphasize the importance of separate validation in such a modeling framework. The whole model is then confronted to detailed wall boiling experiments to simultaneously compare boiling curve predictions along other physical parameters such as boiling time scales (bubble growth, transient conduction, bubble wait), nucleation frequency, or nucleation site density. Finally, validation against wall heat flux measurements in various conditions are used to assess the model accuracy and further discuss the limits of the Heat Flux Partitioning approach.