MULTIDIMENSIONAL THEORY OF HOMOGENEOUS BOILING OF PURE LIQUIDS

The stationary rate of homogeneous formation of bubbles, which are described by two variables, the radius and the inner pressure, is obtained. The problem is considered on the basis of multidimensional stochastic equations. It is shown that the diffusion tensor for this problem appears to be an auxiliary value. It (or the diffusion coefficient for one-dimensional treatment) can be calculated, as has been done previously by different authors, but it does not have independent significance when equations of time dependence for the variables and their equilibrium distribution are known. The result obtained is valid for a whole range of variation of the viscosity η of a liquid. For the case of cavitation of a nonviscous liquid, the theory developed here corrects the previous result of Zeldovich (Acta Physicochim., USSR, 18, 1 (1943)), which gives an infinite rate for the process when η → 0. Certain corrections in the equation for bubble growth due to evaporation of the liquid were obtained. A new expression for the equilibrium distribution function of bubbles is also proposed. © 1993 Academic Press, Inc.