  The lattice Boltzmann method is adopted to solve the liquid-vapor phase
change problems in this article. By modifying the collision term for the
temperature evolution equation, a new thermal lattice Boltzmann model is
constructed. As compared with previous studies, the most striking feature of
the present approach is that it could avoid the calculations of both the
Laplacian term of temperature [$\nabla \cdot \left( {\kappa \nabla T} \right)$]
and the gradient term of heat capacitance [$\nabla \left( {\rho {{\rm{c}}_v}}
\right)$]. In addition, since the present approach adopts a simple linear
equilibrium distribution function, it is possible to use the D2Q5 lattice for
the two dimensional cases consided here, making it is more efficiency than
previous works in which the lattice is usually limited to the D2Q9. This
approach is firstly validated by the problems of droplet evaporation in open
space and adroplet evaporation on heated surface, and the numerical results
show good agreement with the analytical results and the finite difference
method. Then it is used to model nucleate boiling problem, and the relationship
between detachment bubble diameter and gravity acceleration obtained with the
present approach fits well with the reported works.
