The boiling crisis phenomenon: Part I: nucleation and nucleate boiling heat transfer

Abstract

This paper (Part I) and the companion paper (Part II, Exp. Therm. Fluid. Sci. 26 (6–7) (2002) 793–810) present results of an experimental study on nucleate pool boiling. The experiments were conducted under highly-controlled conditions, using electrically heated, vapor-deposited sub-micron metallic films. A high-speed, high-resolution infrared camera was used to visualize dynamic thermal patterns on the heater's surface over a broad range of heat fluxes, starting from the onset of nucleation and up to boiling crisis. Both fresh heaters and aged heaters were experimented with. The heaters' surface nanomorphology and chemistry were characterized with atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. First-of-a-kind experimental data on nucleation and boiling heat transfer at high heat fluxes are presented, and a stark difference between fresh and aged heaters is revealed. Remarkable are the origin, evolution and dynamics of the heater dryout process (leading to burnout), identified quantitatively and captured in action for the first time.