An Evaluation of the Data-Driven Model for Bubble Maximum Diameter in Subcooled Boiling Flow Using Artificial Neural Networks

Abstract

In the subcooled boiling flow under low-pressure conditions, bubble characteristic diameter is of great influence on the surface heat transfer coefficient. However, large errors are still found in calculations using traditional mechanistic models or empirical correlations, especially for wide experimental condition. In this paper, we propose a widely applicable data-driven model using artificial neural networks (ANN) to predict the bubble maximum diameter and investigate the effect of experimental conditions. After a series of analyses on structural parameters and input parameters, the ANN model is established and validated based on six available experimental databases. The result shows that the relative error is around 14%. Uncertainty analysis is carried out for the four experimental conditions and two structural conditions. The results show the measuring accuracy of pressure is one of the most sensitive parameters on the prediction of bubble maximum diameter in the subcooled boiling flow under 1.0 MPa, especially for the bubble sizes larger than 0.5 mm. According to the results of uncertainty analysis, a new correlation is proposed for coefficients C and φ, which are used to express the effect of pressure and fluid dynamic. The new correlation works well for all the experimental databases, and the error for bubble datasets of large size is also modified. Furthermore, another independent validation with a low relative error to 14% is provided to prove the accuracy of the new correlation.