Microgravity Experiments on Boiling and Applications: Research Activity of Advanced High Heat Flux Cooling Technology for Electronic Devices in Japan

Abstract

Research and development on advanced high heat flux cooling technology for electronic devices has been carried out as the Project of Fundamental Technology Development for Energy Conservation, promoted by the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization of Japan (NEDO). Based on the microgravity experiments on boiling heat transfer, the following useful results have obtained for the cooling of electronic devices. In subcooled flow boiling in a small channel, heat flux increases considerably more than the ordinary critical heat flux with microbubble emission in transition boiling, and dry out of the heating surface is disturbed. Successful enhancement of heat transfer is achieved by a capillary effect from grooved surface dual subchannels on the liquid supply. The critical heat flux increases 30-40 percent more than for ordinary subchannels. A self-wetting mechanism has been proposed, following investigation of bubble behavior in pool boiling of binary mixtures under microgravity. Ideas and a new concept have been proposed for the design of future cooling system in power electronics.