Elucidating the mechanisms behind the boiling heat transfer enhancement using nano-structured surface coatings

• Published in: Applied thermal engineering Vol. 137; pp. 868 - 891
• Main Authors: Sujith Kumar, C.S., Udaya Kumar, G., Mata Arenales, Mario R., Hsu, Chin-Chi, Suresh, S., Chen, Ping-Hei
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 05.06.2018; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Coating; Coating effects; Critical heat flux; Fin action; Flow boiling; Fluid dynamics; Heat flux; Heat transfer; Heat transfer coefficients; Morphology; Phase transitions; Pool boiling; Porosity; Surface modification; Wettability; Surface modification; Flow boiling; Wettability; Fin action; Coating; Porosity; Critical heat flux; Pool boiling
• ISSN: 1359-4311; 1873-5606
• DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2018.03.092

•Effect and mechanism of hydrophobic and hydrophilic nanowires and tubes on boiling heat transfer were studied.•The porosity effects of nanostructured coatings were investigated.•Wettability effect of nanostructured coatings on boiling performance was studied.•The enhancement mechanisms behind the use of heterogeneous wettable structures on boiling heat transfer were studied. Boiling heat transfer is a useful and efficient heat transfer process for high heat dissipating applications. Recent developments in altering the surface morphology by coating microscale and nanoscale structures have led to remarkable enhancement in two-phase heat transfer performance. This study reviews the recent experimental investigations performed on the boiling heat transfer enhancement using surface coatings and the mechanism behind the enhancement. Surface coatings will increase the critical heat flux (CHF) and the boiling heat transfer coefficient (HTC) by producing porous, finned, hydrophilic, and hybrid patterns over the surface. A comprehensive overview of recent investigations into the effects of surface coatings on bubble dynamics is also included in this paper.