Effect of Pressure on Bubble Growth Within Liquid Droplets at the Superheat Limit

A study of high-pressure bubble growth within liquid droplets heated to their limits of superheat is reported. Droplets of an organic liquid (n-octane) were heated in an immiscible nonvolatile field liquid (glycerine) until they began to boil. High-speed cine photography was used for recording the qualitative aspects of boiling intensity and for obtaining some basic bubble growth data which have not been previously reported. The intensity of droplet boiling was found to be strongly dependent on ambient pressure. At atmospheric pressure the droplets boiled in a comparatively violent manner. At higher pressures photographic evidence revealed a two-phase droplet configuration consisting of an expanding vapor bubble beneath which was suspended a pool of the vaporizing liquid. A qualitative theory for growth of the two-phase droplet was based on assuming that heat for vaporizing the volatile liquid was transferred across a thin thermal boundary layer surrounding the vapor bubble. Measured droplet radii were found to be in relatively good agreement with predicted radii.