  In this paper, a multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann (LB) approach is
developed for the simulation of three-dimensional (3D) liquid-vapor phase
change based on the pseudopotential model. In contrast to some existing 3D
thermal LB models for liquid-vapor phase change, the present approach has two
advantages: for one thing, the current approach does not require calculating
the gradient of volumetric heat capacity [i.e., $\nabla \left( {\rho {c_v}}
\right)$], and for another, the current approach is constructed based on the
seven discrete velocities in three dimensions (D3Q7), making the current
thermal LB model more efficient and easy to implement. Also, based on the
scheme proposed by Zhou and He [Phys Fluids 9:1591-1598, 1997], a pressure
boundary condition for the D3Q19 lattice is proposed to model the multiphase
flow in open systems. The current method is then validated by considering the
temperature distribution in a 3D saturated liquid-vapor system, the $d^2$ law
and the droplet evaporation on a heated surface. It is observed that the
numerical results fit well with the analytical solutions, the results of the
finite difference method and the experimental data. Our numerical results
indicate that the present approach is reliable and efficient in dealing with
the 3D liquid-vapor phase change.
