Is a crisis in pool boiling actually a hydrodynamic phenomenon?

However, at moderate and high reduced pressures the equation of the hydrodynamic model agrees satisfactorily with the data. Consequently, now it is necessary not only to develop a new approach to pool boiling crisis, but also to explain rather good predicting capability of the Kutateladze-Zuber equation. The model developed by the present author presents an attempt to exceed the limits of the hydrodynamic approach. The crisis is a result of enlarging area of dry spots which are an intrinsic feature of nucleate boiling. Great difference of vapor specific volume at high and low reduced pressures makes it reasonable to derive separately the equations for CHF for these two cases. A simple interpolating formula allows calculating CHF at arbitrary pressure. The equation for high reduced pressures gives the calculated CHF values close to those computed on the formulas of the hydrodynamic theory. As the most part of the experimental data are obtained at moderate and high reduced pressures, this coincidence gives a possible explanation of agreement of the Kutateladze's formula with the data. A weak variation of liquid kinematic viscosity at saturation line allows concealing its actual influence on CHF.