Evaporation and heat exchange of a thin liquid layer under various heating methods: Advantages of local heating over uniform heating of the wall

Intensification of heat transfer and evaporation is widely used in modern technologies at limited dimensions of heat exchange surfaces and high energy density. To date, stationary heat transfer at uniform wall heating, has been most thoroughly investigated. Meanwhile, there is no comprehensive research providing a comparison of free convection, heat transfer and evaporation with different heating methods. The novelty of the work lies in the comparison of the heat transfer efficiency using one laser beam, two beams and homogeneous heating. When heated by a single laser beam, the average temperature of the layer interface is significantly lower than at homogeneous heating. However, due to the generation of intense Marangoni flow, a small heating spot provides more intense evaporation than homogeneous heating. The effectiveness of heat transfer is analyzed in terms of the total efficiency coefficient. If it is important to take into account power input, it is preferable to use a single laser beam. If it is not decisive, then two laser beams allow achieving maximum heat transfer and evaporation rate. Homogeneous heating is significantly inferior to local non-stationary heating in terms of all key criteria. The simple expressions serve to optimize the total efficiency coefficient.

Automated summary

This study compares the heat transfer efficiency using different heating methods and finds that single laser beam heating results in lower interface temperature but more intense evaporation. Two laser beams achieve the maximum heat transfer and evaporation rate. Homogeneous heating is significantly inferior to local non-stationary heating in all key criteria.