Modeling of Vapor Bubble Condensation in Vertical Tube using CFD

Abstract

This paper deals with the development and validation of a new solver in Open FOAM, bubble Condense Foam for modeling a condensing vapor bubble in subcooled boiling flows. This solver is used to predict the behavior of a vapor bubble in the flow in terms of bubble diameter and void fraction with respect to parameters such as subcooling temperatures, initial bubble diameter etc. VOF model is used to predict the interface of the bubble. Three conservation equations each for liquid and the gas phase are solved. Standard k-ε turbulence model consisting of two transport equations for turbulent kinetic energy and turbulent dissipation are used. The code developed is found to be capable of calculating condensation. However previous studies for modeling bubble condensation doesn’t consider the lift-drag models, this study incorporates the lift-drag models with governing equations, which improves significantly the bubble diameter prediction.