Effect of the spray cone angle in the spray cooling with R134a

Spray cooling experiments were performed to study the effect of the spray cone angle on heat transfer and film thickness. The experiments were carried out for three different types of nozzles. Results for heat transfer and film thickness for different flow rates are presented working with the dielectric refrigerant R134a and on a heater with low surface roughness. The behavior of the heat transfer with respect to the spray cone angle shows that as the spray cone angle decreases, there is a delay in the onset of the nucleated boiling regime. As a result, thermal performance worsens as the spray cone angle decreases. On the other hand, in the nucleate boiling regime film thickness increases as the spray cone angle decreases. The qualitative analysis of these variations serves to better understand the heat transfer mechanisms that occur during the spray cooling technique. (c) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.