Heterogeneous bubble nucleation on ideally-smooth horizontal heated surface

Abstract

Our experiments and analyses of the bubble incipient on ideally-smooth, horizontal heated surface confirm the observed low superheat and the weak surface-wettability dependence. These are contrary to the previous heterogeneous nucleation predictions, so to clarify this difference and the experimental results not explained by previous nucleation theories we adapt a new model based the thermal boundary layer. The model includes the kinetic dynamics of the superheated liquid and the thermodynamic stability of the generated vapors. The fluid particle transfer rate is estimated with the Smoluchowski equation. Consequently, the incipient bubble nucleation on the ideally-smooth horizontal surface, with different wettability, is described and the predictions match the experiments fairly well. © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.