Condensation of bubbles in miscible liquids

We previously developed a theoretical envelope model for bubbles condensing in immiscible liquids. The envelope model defines two zones while condensing. In the first zone the bubble accelerates after detachment from the nozzle and the heat is transferred through a viscous boundary layer at the front of the bubble and through the wake at the rear. In the second zone the bubble decelerates, settles into the wake and the heat is transferred through the wake all around the bubble. At a third zone, the bubble reaches the terminal velocity while the condensation process is terminated. In this paper both models (viscous boundary layer model-VBLM; and envelope model-EM) are modified to suit also bubbles condensing in miscible liquids. According to our visualization study of bubbles condensing in miscible liquids, partly envelopment of bubbles takes place at the deceleration zone. Visualization studies also revealed that the condensate mixes immediately with the surroundings. The experimental results for freon-113 bubbles condensing in sub-cooled freon-113 and presented in this paper confirm these observations and therefore they are bounded by two theoretical models: the envelope model and the viscous boundary layer model. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.