Boiling performance of single-layered enhanced structures

A study of pool boiling at atmospheric pressure from single-layered enhanced structures was conducted for a dielectric fluorocarbon liquid (PF 5060). The parameters investigated in this study were: (a) Heat flux (1 - 45 W/cm(2)); (b) width of the microchannels (65-105 mu m); and (c) microchannel pitch (0.2-0.7 mm). The boiling performance of the enhanced structures was found to increase with the increase in channel width and decrease in channel pitch. A simple single line curve fit is provided as a practical way of predicting the data over the entire nucleate boiling regime. The exponent n in the single line power curve fit was found to be between 1 and 2. The modes of boiling from an enhanced structure proposed by previous researchers were unable to explain the boiling curves obtained in this study. The present data are explained in light of the contribution from the top finned surface of the enhanced structure.