Near-equilibrium growth of vapor bubbles

Orr Avni, Eran Sher, Yuval Dagan

Published 2024-02-07Version 1

This study delves into the near-equilibrium dynamics of vapor bubbles. Utilizing a regular perturbation method, we derive analytical solutions to capture the bubble's initial growth stages, wherein surface tension and viscous dissipation forces impede the bubble's growth. The accuracy of these solutions is validated with numeric solutions of the complete Rayleigh-Plesset equation. Although limited to near-critical bubble radii, our analytical solutions predict the initial delay period as a function of two nondimensional parameters, signifying the initial deviation from the critical radius and the surface tension to viscosity ratio. We found a transition in the dominant delay mechanism, marking a shift from surface tension to viscous damping dominance. Our findings emphasize the significance of considering the surface tension delay, particularly for short timescales, and highlight its crucial role in accurately modeling the bubble's initial growth dynamics. The derived analytical solutions and the obtained correlation for surface-tension-induced delay may prove a practical tool and could be integrated into existing models of vapor bubble growth.