A direct numerical simulation for nucleate boiling by the VOSET method

This article presents a 2-D numerical simulation on nucleate boiling using the VOSET method. Heat transfer through a liquid microlayer around a three-phase contact point is incorporated by a multiscale system method. A temperature interpolation method is presented for solving temperature field in cells containing liquid-vapor interface. Apart from the single-bubble model, computations are carried out for two-bubble and bubble merger models. Heat fluxes predicted by simulation are compared with experimental correlations and good agreement is obtained. In addition, simulation results of bubble's behavior also verify some boiling mechanisms.