An experimental and numerical study of pool boiling heat transfer in Cu foam-enhanced cells with interlaced microchannels

Abstract

Pool boiling heat transfer has an extensive range of applications in energy transfer processes and, as an environmentally-friendly technique, is in line with Chinese “dual carbon” climate goals. In this paper, we looked at how the addition of Cu-interlaced microchannels and Cu foam-interlaced microchannels affected the heat transfer surface of a pool boiling in deionized water. The heat transfer surface was laser-etched with interlaced microchannels of the same width and depth, but different spacing, and the results showed that the critical heat flux (CHF) and heat transfer coefficient (HTC) were strengthened. A Cu foam-interlaced microchannel composite structure with a spacing of 350 µm had the best strengthening effect on the heat transfer surface and, compared with polished copper, △T was reduced by 5.6 °C, the CHF was increased by a maximum factor of 4.41, and the HTC was increased by a factor of 6.98. The results of simulations performed using ANSYS Workbench D matched those of the experimental study.