  Pool boiling characteristics in two computational domains with and without
considering conjugate heat transfer (CHT) were numerically simulated by an
improved hybrid pseudopotential phase-change lattice Boltzmann method (LBM).
The effects of constant temperature boundary condition (BC) with nucleate spots
and fluctuant temperature on the boiling process were investigated in detail.
It was found that for the computational domain without CHT, the treatment of
constant temperature BC with nucleate spots is quite easier to produce film
boiling than the temperature BC with small fluctuation. However, the results
would be the opposite for the case with CHT. The entire boiling curve from the
onset of nucleate boiling to fully developed film boiling was presented using
the computational domain considering CHT and constant temperature BC with
nucleate spots. The simulated critical heat flux showed an excellent agreement
with the existing analytical solutions. Hence, the current hybrid phase-change
LBM was quantitatively verified. The highly fluctuant heat flux occurred in the
CHF and transition boiling as well as the transverse movement of the bubbles
had been observed. Furthermore, the thermal responses inside the heater and
heat transfer mechanism in different boiling patterns were also comprehensively
studied.
