Analysis of Conditions for a Vapor Explosion Emerging when a High-Temperature Liquid–Metal Drop Falls into Water

Abstract

We consider the influence of oscillations of the vapor–liquid interface on the stability of a hot liquid–metal drop in a cold liquid. For the first time, four different mechanisms of impact of the vapor film oscillations on the liquid–metal drop are proposed, which lead to instability (vapor explosion). For one of the described mechanisms, the boundary of the instability, i.e., of explosive fragmentation of the drop is obtained, which depends on the material, the metal drop temperature, and the drop radius.