Multidimensional mechanistic modeling of interfacial heat and mass transfer

A combined theoretical and computational study in modeling multidimensional, diabatic vapor/liquid flows is presented. Models have been developed governing kinematic aspects of multiphase flow as well as interfacial mass and heat transfer for flows of condensable gas (vapor) and liquids. The modeling formulation is based on the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) type multi-field approach which utilizes a complete set of conservation equations for each fluid component 1. The modeled interfacial interactions include energy, mass, and momentum transfer. Emphasis in the model development work has been placed on the mechanisms governing coupled interfacial heat and mass transfer between the liquid and vapor fields (condensation and/or boiling). A method for tracking changes in bubble size is presented and tested. Locally based models of multidimensional effects have been analyzed, including distributions of fluid temperatures and volume fractions. The overall model accounts for both kinematic and thermodynamic nonequilibrium between the component fluids including superheated vapor. The model has been implemented in the NPHASE-CMFD computer code. Results from the kinematic model are compared to experimental data and good agreement is demonstrated. The heat and mass transfer model is parametrically tested to show the multidimensional effects on the rate of heat and mass transfer. These effects are explained in terms of local characteristics of the two-phase flow. The model is applied to a scenario of saturated vapor injected into a subcooled flow through a heated, porous wall. This provides a reasonable approximation to subcooled boiling. The results are found to be dependent on the partitioning of the wall heat flux between direct liquid heating and vapor generation. However, the observed dependencies are explained and the modeling is considered consistent. (authors)