Numerical investigation of bubble dynamics and heat transfer in subcooling pool boiling under low gravity

•A two-dimensional axisymmetric model is developed for subcooling pool boiling under low gravity.•The superheated layer and the thermocapillary convection are considered.•The simulations are validated against the experiments in the literatures.•Bubble dynamics, critical subcooling and heat transfer are analyzed in details. The numerical simulation of a single vapor bubble growth in subcooling liquid under different gravity conditions has been carried out. In the numerical model, a thin superheated layer and the thermocapillary convection caused by the surface tension variation along the surface are considered. The continuity equation and energy equation are modified to allow for the phase change. In addition, the thermocapillary convection effect has been included in the momentum equation. The vapor-liquid interface is captured by the phase field method. The results show that the bubble behavior in the numerical model agrees well with previous experiments conducted in high subcooling liquid under microgravity. The effects of gravity level, contact angle and wall superheat on the bubble growth, critical subcooling (the liquid subcooling under the condition that the evaporation rate of a bubble is equal to its condensation rate), together with heat transfer have been investigated. The growth period and departure radius both reduce with the increase in gravity level, while the critical subcooling increases slightly. Large contact angle at the three-phase contact line augments the departure radius. However, the critical subcooling decreases as contact angle increases. With the wall superheat increasing, the growth period reduces rapidly, while the departure radius and the critical subcooling increase. What’s more, the non-departing bubble adhering to the surface would prevent heat transfer with a dry spot, which may damage the heating element in application.