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Nanofluid Boiling on Micro/Nano-engineered Surfaces.
Shakerur Ridwan1, Jordan Pollack1, Matthew McCarthy1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics, Drexel University, 3141 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104, United States.
Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
|May 11, 2021
Summary
Boiling nanofluids degrade heat transfer on engineered surfaces, despite moderate critical heat flux improvements. Particle size impacts degradation differently across surfaces, revealing unique mechanisms like clogging and reduced nucleation sites.
Area of Science:
- Heat Transfer
- Nanofluidics
- Surface Engineering
Background:
- Engineered surfaces enhance boiling heat transfer, typically with pure water.
- Nanofluids also show potential for boiling enhancement.
- The combined effect of engineered surfaces and nanofluids is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the impact of silica (SiO2) nanoparticles on boiling performance of various engineered surfaces.
- To characterize the degradation mechanisms of heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and critical heat flux (CHF) in nanofluids.
- To determine the influence of particle size on boiling degradation.
Main Methods:
- Experimental investigation of boiling aqueous SiO2 nanofluids (7 nm to 10 μm particles, 0.2% volume concentration) on engineered surfaces.
- Characterization of heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and critical heat flux (CHF).
- Analysis of degradation mechanisms including nucleation site reduction and thermal insulation.
Main Results:
- SiO2 nanoparticles moderately improved critical heat flux (CHF) on all tested surfaces.
- Heat transfer coefficient (HTC) deteriorated with particle addition across all surfaces.
- Nanoparticle-induced degradation varied by surface type; clogging affected nanostructured and bare copper surfaces, while bi-conductive surfaces showed size-independent degradation.
- Unique degradation mechanisms, including reduced nucleation sites and thermal insulation, were identified.
- A partial-CHF condition was observed with particle addition.
Conclusions:
- The addition of SiO2 nanoparticles to boiling fluids leads to a complex interplay with engineered surfaces, causing HTC degradation.
- Surface-specific mechanisms dictate the extent and nature of boiling performance decline.
- While CHF may see moderate gains, overall heat transfer efficiency is compromised, necessitating careful material and fluid selection for enhanced boiling applications.
