Pool boiling of nanofluids on biphilic surfaces

Abstract

This study addresses the combination of customized surface modification with the use of nanofluids, to infer on its potential to enhance pool boiling heat transfer. Hydrophilic surfaces patterned with superhydrophobic regions are prepared and used to act as surface interfaces with nanofluids (water with gold, silver and alumina nanoparticles) and infer on the effect of the nature and concentration of the nanoparticles in bubble dynamics and consequently in heat transfer processes. The main qualitative and quantitative analysis was based on extensive post-processing of synchronized high-speed and thermographic images. The results show an evident benefice of using biphilic patterns, but with well-stablished distances between the superhydrophobic regions. Such patterns allow a controlled bubble coalescence, which promotes fluid convection at the hydrophilic surface between the superhydrophobic regions, which clearly contributes to cool down the surface. The effect of the nanofluids, for the low concentrations used here, was observed to play a minor role.