Nucleation processes in large scale vapor explosions

Journal Article · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1979 · J. Heat Transfer; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3450961· OSTI ID:6193323

Henry, R E; Fauske, H K

A spontaneous nucleation model is proposed for the mechanisms which lead to explosive boiling in the free contacting mode. The model considers that spontaneous nucleation cannot occur until the thermal boundary layer is sufficiently thick to support a critical size vapor cavity, and that significant bubble growth requires an established pressure gradient in the cold liquid. This results in a prediction that, for an interface temperature above the spontaneous nucleation limit, large cold liquid droplets will remain in film boiling due to coalescence of vapor nuclei, whereas smaller droplets will be captured by the hot liquid surface and rapidly vaporize, which agrees with the experimental observations. The model also predicts that explosions are eliminated by an elevated system pressure or a supercritical contact interface temperature, and this is also in agreement with experimental data.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Ill. 60439
• OSTI ID: 6193323
• Journal Information: J. Heat Transfer; (United States), Journal Name: J. Heat Transfer; (United States) Vol. 101:2; ISSN JHTRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420400* -- Engineering-- Heat Transfer & Fluid Flow
BOUNDARY LAYERS
BUBBLE GROWTH
DROPLETS
EVAPORATION
FREONS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
INTERFACES
LAYERS
MEDIUM TEMPERATURE
NUCLEATION
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PRESSURE GRADIENTS
REFRIGERANTS