Review of Subcooled Boiling Flow Models

Abstract

In this chapter, the present capabilities of CFD modelling for wall boiling in industrial applications are described. The basis is the Eulerian two-fluid framework of interpenetrating continua. From the first attempts, heat flux partitioning algorithms were used to describe boiling at a heated wall. Based on a mechanistic model representation of the microscopic processes, the framework is described by empirical correlations. The developments of the main correlations for the bubble size at detachment and for the nucleation site density are described. Different approaches for the bubble size in the bulk are presented. Further the extension of the conventional heat partitioning model toward the high heat flux will be also stated. Finally an outlook on further model improvement is given.