DROPLET VAPORIZATION IN HIGH-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENTS .1. NEAR CRITICAL CONDITIONS

A comprehensive analysis of multicomponent droplet vaporization at near critical conditions has been carried out. The model is based on complete time-dependent conservation equations, with a full account of variable properties and vapor-liquid interfacial thermodynamics. The influences of various high-pressure phenomena (including ambient gas solubility, property variation, thermodynamic non-ideal- ity, and transient diffusion) on the vaporization mechanism are examined systematically. As a specific example, problems involving n-paraffin fuel droplets in nitrogen gas are studied, Results indicate that the ambient gas pressure has a profound impact on the vaporization process, especially for the conditions under which the droplet reaches its critical state. Owing to its inability to accurately describe droplet behavior, the conventional low-pressure model may erroneously overpredict the evaporation rate significantly. © 1991, Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. All rights reserved.