Explosive boiling of liquid droplets at their superheat limits

Abstract

The maximum temperature limit at which liquid boils explosively is called the superheat limit of liquids. Using the explosion technique, the superheat limit of several hydrocarbons and their mixtures was measured. The dynamic behavior of the bubble formed from the fully evaporated droplet at its superheat limit was investigated by measuring the far field pressure signal from the bubble and by visualizing its behavior. The evaporation process of a droplet and the evolution of the bubble from the evaporated droplet were also studied theoretically by using an appropriate bubble nucleation and dynamics model. It was found that the superheat limit of liquids could be accurately predicted when correct vapor-liquid equilibrium data for the liquids were provided. Also, the oscillation behavior of the bubble from the evaporated droplet was found to be governed by the thermal damping due to the finite heat transfer through the bubble wall.