Pool boiling heat transfer of water/γ-alumina micro-fluids around the horizontal cylinder

Abstract

A set of experiments was performed to quantify the pool boiling heat transfer coefficient of water/γ-alumina micro-fluids at mass concentration ranged from 0.1 to 0.4 % of micro-particles with mean size of 1–2 μm. To stabilize the prepared micro-fluid, pH control, stirring and adding the SDS as a surfactant were carried out. Also, thermal conductivity of micro-fluids are measured using KD2 decagon pro. Results showed that micro-fluids have relatively higher thermal conductivity rather than the base fluids. According to the results, there are two distinguishable heat transfer regions namely natural convection and nucleate boiling regions. Influence of some operating parameters such as heat flux, mass concentration of micro-particles and surface fouling resistance on the pool boiling heat transfer coefficient were experimentally studied and briefly discussed. Results demonstrated a significant deterioration of heat transfer coefficient of micro-fluids in comparison with the base fluid over the extended time (1000 min of operation) in nucleate boiling region, while in natural convection region, enhancement of heat transfer coefficient is registered. According to the results, heat transfer coefficient is strongly controlled by/γ-alumina concentration due to the deposition of micro-particles on the heating section. Rectilinear changes of scale formation with time in term of fouling resistance were clearly seen at regions, where natural convection is a dominant heat transfer mechanism and also for higher heat fluxes at nucleate boiling heat transfer region.