Rapid Vapor Bubble Growth during Decompression of Superheated Water

Abstract

Both analytical and experimental investigations are performed for vapor bubble growth in a uniformly superheated water under rapid decompression. Numerical and analytical solutions are obtained by solving a complete set of governing equations for bubble growth, and compared with experimental data obtained in the present experiment and previously by Toda and Kitamura. Bubble growth rates calculated numerically are lower than the experimental data, however, they approach more favorably our experimental data than the analytical solutions without the added correction factor given by Toda and Kitamura. Their solutions with the correction factor of π/2 are the best-fit solutions reported thus far. Available solutions by other researchers are found to underpredict bubble growth rates. Transient temperature distributions across the thermal boundary layer on the bubble interface are also estimsted. It is found that for initial periods the thermal boundary layer fully develops and the bubble interface temperature approaches that of saturation corresponding to decompressed liquid pressure.