Observations on bubble growths in various superheated liquids

Abstract

Experimental data are presented for the growth of vapour bubbles in various superheated liquids, such as carbon tetrachloride, benzene, ethyl alcohol, and methyl alcohol. These data are compared with the theoretical results obtained by Plesset & Zwick (1953) who derived these results by taking into account the heat diffusion across the bubble boundary. The agreement in all cases between experiment and theory is found to be good.The growth of vapour bubbles in slightly superheated water is also presented in the form of experimental data for bubbles just beginning to grow from a point of equilibrium which is presumed to be dynamically unstable. The radii corresponding to the points of equilbrium are of the same order of magnitude as those predicted by theoretical considerations.