Modelling and simulation of flow boiling heat transfer

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe the development and application of a numerical model for analysis of flow boiling phenomena and heat transfer. Design/methodology/approach For flow boiling processes, the fluid and vapour flow regimes in connection with the conjugate heat and mass transfer problem for specimen quenching through the entire boiling curve is modelled. Vaporisation and recondensation, the vapour fraction distribution and vapour movement with respect to the liquid are considered in the calculation of the two‐phase flow and heat transfer process. The derived flow boiling model is based on a mixture model and bubble crowding model approach for two‐phase flow. In addition to the conventional mixture model formulation, here special model implementations have been incorporated that describe: the vapour formation at the superheated solid‐liquid interface, the recondensation process of vapour at the subcooled vapour‐liquid interface, the mass transfer rate in the different boiling phases and the microconvection effect in the nucleate boiling phase resulting from bubble growth and detachment. Findings The model prediction results are compared with experimental data for quenching of a circular cylinder, showing good agreement in boiling state and heat transfer coefficient distribution. Simulation and experiments lead to a better understanding of the interaction of incident flow in the boiling state and the resulting heat transfer. Research limitations/implications Fluid temperatures in the range of 300‐353 K and specimen wall temperatures up to 1,000 K are considered. Practical implications Flow boiling is an efficient heat transfer process occurring in several technical applications. Application background of the model development is in quenching of complex metallic specimen geometries in liquids subject to fast changing heat fluxes. Originality/value A general model for the complex two‐phase boiling heat transfer at high wall temperatures and fast flow conditions that can be used in engineering applications does not yet exist. The results provide detailed information describing the non‐uniform phase change during the complete quenching process from film boiling to pure convection.