Steady-state and transient solutions to drop evaporation in a finite domain: Alternative benchmarks to the d2 law

The d(2) law, commonly used to assess the accuracy of computational solvers, corresponds to evaporation under steady-state conditions and in an infinite gaseous domain. In the present work, we propose new alternative benchmarks that relax those constraints. The benchmarks are developed for a spherical as well as a circular drop. First, steady-state analytical relations are derived that are applicable to a finite domain. A radially-symmetric transient model is then proposed that can provide transient benchmark solutions in finite domains. Adaptive mesh-refinement and body-fitted mesh are used for numerical solution and to ensure highly accurate transient results. The proposed steady-state and transient benchmarks are examined in several evaporation problems, and the evolution of drop diameter, temperature and vapor mass fraction fields are analyzed. In one such problem, we report a secondary transient phenomenon that appears towards the end of drop lifetime. The benchmarks proposed in this work are straightforward to be implemented for systematic validation of computational solvers. (C) 2018 Elsevie]r Ltd. All rights reserved.