Interfacial Heat Transfer Research Articles

Quantitative evaluation of uncertain parameters for thermal-hydraulic experiments based on the COSINE code

Identifying important phenomena and parameters of LBLOCAs is an important step in nuclear power safety evaluation. Traditional identification processes are based on experience and incorporate important phenomena and parameters without quantifying specific aspects of the models. To accurately identify physical effects, this paper presents the use of multiphase field subchannel code for simulation analysis as applied to numerical examples and specific reactor thermal-hydraulic problems. The results indicate that the code can simulate the relevant phenomena, and the calculation band of the refill stage is narrow, while the calculation band of the reflood stage is wide. In addition, the key impact models are captured. The radiation model most significantly impacts the cladding temperature in the core, and the heat transfer model of transition boiling to the gas phase is most strongly influenced by the quenching time. The interfacial heat transfer model of the large bubble regime for the liquid plays a major role in influencing the water inventory of the lower plenum in the downcomer.

Scalable Compliant Graphene Fiber-Based Thermal Interface Material with Metal-Level Thermal Conductivity via Dual-Field Synergistic Alignment Engineering.

High-performance thermal interface materials (TIMs) are highly desired for high-power electronic devices to accelerate heat dissipation. However, the inherent trade-off conflict between achieving high thermal conductivity and excellent compliance of filler-enhanced TIMs results in the unsatisfactory interfacial heat transfer efficiency of existing TIM solutions. Here, we report the graphene fiber (GF)-based elastic TIM with metal-level thermal conductivity via mechanical-electric dual-field synergistic alignment engineering. Compared with state-of-the-art carbon fiber (CF), GF features both superb high thermal conductivity of ∼1200 W m-1 K-1 and outstanding flexibility. Under dual-field synergistic alignment regulation, GFs are vertically aligned with excellent orientation (0.88) and high array density (33.5 mg cm-2), forming continuous thermally conductive pathways. Even at a low filler content of ∼17 wt %, GF-based TIM demonstrates extraordinarily high through-plane thermal conductivity of up to 82.4 W m-1 K-1, exceeding most CF-based TIMs and even comparable to commonly used soft indium foil. Benefiting from the low stiffness of GF, GF-based TIM shows a lower compressive modulus down to 0.57 MPa, an excellent resilience rate of 95% after compressive cycles, and diminished contact thermal resistance as low as 7.4 K mm2 W-1. Our results provide a superb paradigm for the directed assembly of thermally conductive and flexible GFs to achieve scalable and high-performance TIMs, overcoming the long-standing bottleneck of mechanical-thermal mismatch in TIM design.

An inverse estimation of frozen sand mold-melt heat transfer coefficient in the solidification of A356 alloy

Casting aluminum alloys is widely used in aerospace, rail transportation, automotive, ships, and other fields. The frozen sand mold casting (FSMC) technology provides a greener and low-cost solution for the sand mold casting industry, which has a better operating environment than the resin sand mold casting and a higher degree of subcooling for solidification process. The interfacial heat transfer coefficient (IHTC) is a significant parameter that affects the structure and properties of the frozen casting. It is also an important boundary condition in numerical simulation. In this paper, a frozen sand mold casting (FSMC) process thermal conductivity problem (IHCP) inversion model is proposed based on the 1-D heat transfer assumption using a combination of finite difference method (FDM) and conjugate gradient method (CGM). The inversion model is validated for its rationality and accuracy in terms of experiments and numerical calculations, respectively. The IHTC is determined under various frozen sand mold casting conditions, including different initial frozen temperatures, water contents, and molding sand. The accuracy of results is verified by comparing the experimental and numerical data. A new method is provided for determining IHTC in frozen casting.

An optimizing study of silicon-based microchannels for enhanced thermal transfer

The thermal transport efficiency of microchannel heat sinks is critically influenced by the solid-liquid interface thermal resistance, an aspect that has historically been underappreciated in the design of these systems. We introduce a hybrid model that combines molecular dynamics simulations with computational fluid dynamics to rigorously investigate the interfacial heat transfer characteristics of microchannels. Our methodology involves constructing a nanochannel composed of silicon atoms and water molecules to accurately measure the thermal resistance at the Si–H2O interface. We then extend our analysis by developing two-dimensional rectangular microchannel models. These models are utilized to examine the effects of thermal resistance, channel dimensions, and inlet velocity on the overall interfacial heat transfer rate. Our findings indicate a pronounced size dependency in the variation of the total heat transfer rate, highlighting the critical role of scale in these systems. Significantly, enhancements in heat transfer efficiency are observed with an increase in inlet velocity and a reduction in thermal resistance. These results underscore the importance of optimizing both physical and operational parameters to enhance the efficiency of microchannel heat sinks. The findings are expected to inform future designs and promote more efficient thermal management solutions in various applications.

Experimental description of heat transfer processes at two-phase flow in microchannels towards the development of a heat sink for PV panels

The development of new and more effective cooling technologies is required for several high thermal power dissipation applications such as in electronics cooling or high concentrated photovoltaic panels. The present paper addresses an experimental study on the development of a microchannel based heat sink to cool photovoltaic panels. Experiments focus on the test of a microchannel, with geometry and dimensions optimized from previous work. The analysis performed here emphasizes the experimental characterization of flow boiling in the microchannel under different working conditions. The results include pressure drop and heat flux maps, obtained combining pressure sensors with high-speed imaging and time resolved thermography. The analysis performed was able to identify where nucleation sites were formed. Slug flow interfacial heat transfer could be observed and accurately described in the heat flux maps. Overall, results show the high potential of combining high-speed imaging with time resolved infrared thermography to characterize complex flows. These results also show that there is a good potential for this microchannel based flow cooling in removing the required heat fluxes for the application considered here, when compared to other liquid and air-cooling technologies.

Heat and mass transfer performance analysis of a vertical tubular ammonia/water bubble absorber based on CFD modeling

Bubble absorbers are highly efficient in mass transfer processes, but their popularization is limited by the risks associated with too much ammonia charging. In order to reduce the ammonia charge, it is essential to optimize the heat and mass transfer performance in the absorber. Existing models provide in-depth analysis of bubble motion and morphology, but insufficient attention has been paid to the concentration distribution and interfacial heat and mass transfer resistance. In this study, a two-dimensional axisymmetric vertical tubular ammonia/water bubble absorber was modeled based on Fluent and phase equilibrium, absorption heat data based on Aspen was imported. The relative deviations were 9%, 0.45%, and 4.1% in terms of the completely absorbed height, the liquid phase ammonia mass fraction, and the outlet temperature, respectively. The results showed that the mass transfer deterioration point was at the gas column closure and the heat transfer deterioration point was at the gas column contraction. Variable parameter studies have shown that turbulence effects at the gas–liquid interface can lead to enhancement and deterioration of local heat and mass transfer, which in turn cause local oscillations in the concentration and temperature profiles. While increasing the interphase mass transfer driving force promotes the interphase mass transfer process, it hinders the diffusion mass transfer process within the liquid phase. This effect is particularly pronounced in the absence of intense cooling, leading to an increase in the complete absorbed height.

Estimation of Multiple Contact Conductances in a Silicon-Indium-Silicon Stack

Abstract This report documents evaluation of simultaneous estimation of multiple interfacial heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) using transient measurements from an experiment designed for steady-state operation. The design of a mirror system for directing X-rays under cryogenic conditions requires knowledge of the interfacial HTC (contact conductance) between silicon and indium. An experimental apparatus was constructed to measure temperatures in a stack of five 7.62-mm thick pucks of silicon separated by 0.1-mm thick sheets of indium, which is operated under cryogenic temperatures in vacuum. Multiple pucks and interfaces are incorporated into the apparatus to allow evaluation of HTCs for surfaces of different roughness from a single experiment. Analysis of the sensitivity of each of the measured temperatures to each of the unknown HTCs reveals lack of linear independence of these sensitivities and suggests the recovery of the HTCs will be challenging. Artificially noised “data” were created from two different computational models by solving for temperatures and adding random Gaussian noise with a specified standard deviation. These data are subsequently analyzed using two different iterative parameter estimation methods: a Levenberg scheme and a Tikhonov iterative scheme. The required sensitivity matrix is computed using forward finite difference approximations. The results for the heat transfer coefficients for this model problem suggest that coefficients cannot be estimated independently, but the ratios relative to one of the unknowns can be recovered.

Insight into Interfacial Heat Transfer of β-Ga2O3/Diamond Heterostructures via the Machine Learning Potential.

β-Ga2O3 is an ultrawide-band gap semiconductor with excellent potential for high-power and ultraviolet optoelectronic device applications. Low thermal conductivity is one of the major obstacles to enable the full performance of β-Ga2O3-based devices. A promising solution for this problem is to integrate β-Ga2O3 with a diamond heat sink. However, the thermal properties of the β-Ga2O3/diamond heterostructures after the interfacial bonding have not been studied extensively, which are influenced by the crystal orientations and interfacial atoms for the β-Ga2O3 and diamond interfaces. In this work, molecular dynamics simulations based on machine learning potential have been adopted to investigate the crystal-orientation-dependent and interfacial-atom-dependent thermal boundary resistance (TBR) of the β-Ga2O3/diamond heterostructure after interfacial bonding. The differences in TBR at different interfaces are explained in detail through the explorations of thermal conductivity value, thermal conductivity spectra, vibration density of states, and interfacial structures. Based on the above explorations, a further understanding of the influence of different crystal orientations and interfacial atoms on the β-Ga2O3/diamond heterostructure was achieved. Finally, insightful optimization strategies have been proposed in the study, which could pave the way for better thermal design and management of β-Ga2O3/diamond heterostructures according to guidance in the selection of the crystal orientations and interfacial atoms of the β-Ga2O3 and diamond interfaces.

Influence of periodicity on natural convection in a square porous cavity due to non-uniform heat under LTNE state

In this article, the influence of the local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) state on free convection in a square cavity filled with fluid-saturated porous medium is investigated numerically. The steady-state flow is induced due to sinusoidal heat distributed on the side walls of the cavity and insulated of the horizontal walls. The coupled flow governing equations are solved numerically by using the finite volume method (FVM) consisting of the SIMPLER (Semi-Implicit Method for Pressure Linked Equation Revised) Algorithm. The numerical simulations of temperature and stream-function contours are carried out for the non-Darcy model. The developed code is validated with existing numerical and present computed results for the case of a square enclosure associated with non-uniform heat source. Then, the present numerical results are analyzed over a range of physical parameters, like periodicity parameter ( N ≥ 1 ), interface heat transfer coefficient ( 10 − 2 ≤ H ≤ 10 2 ), porosity scaled thermal conductivity ratio ( 10 − 2 ≤ γ ≤ 10 2 ), with a fixed Rayleigh number ( Ra = 10 6 ), Darcy number ( Da = 10 − 4 ), Prandtl number (Pr = 0.71), and porosity ( ε = 0.8 ). To study the impacts of these key parameters on the fluid flow behavior and isotherm patterns of fluid as well as solid phase in the porous-square enclosure. From present numerical experiments that the structure of flow is controlled by multicellular structure with rotating clockwise and anticlockwise directions in the entire results. The flow dynamics are highly affected by the periodicity parameter (N) under LTNE circumstances. The characteristics of the local Nusselt number have the point of inflection and the maximum magnitude of it increases with N. The significant effect of H is found on the heat transfer rate of fluid phase but it is negligible on the heat transfer rate of solid phase. However, the influence of γ is found reverse in nature on the heat transfer rate of fluid as well as solid phase when as compared to the effect of H.

Synergistic effect of amino and hydroxyl bifunctional modified h-BN on interfacial thermal conductivity in polydimethylsiloxane matrix: Simulations and experiments

As a widely used thermal conductive matrix material, the interface problem between polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and thermal conductive fillers needs to be solved urgently. The interfacial heat transfer mechanism between PDMS and hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) modified by different groups was studied by combining density functional theory (DFT) simulation and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. The bi-functionalization of h-BN was achieved by the environmentally friendly 6-aminocaproic acid (ACA) additive-assisted water ball milling process. The h-BN/PDMS composite thermal interface materials were prepared using a simple rolling method. The thermal conductivity of the obtained sample reached 1.256 W m−1 K−1 at a filler loading of 15 wt%. The proposed bifunctional synergistic heat transfer mechanism is expected to provide theoretical guidance for the preparation of high thermal conductivity and insulating PDMS used in electronic communications.

Investigation of natural convection heat transfer in various structures of a partitioned triple porous enclosure under permanent magnetic field

Using porous media is an efficient technique aimed at enhancing heat transfer in engineering systems. Replacing conventional fluids by ferrofluids and applying external magnetic fields through magnets is another method for heat transfer control. In this regard, understanding the behavior of ferrofluids through porous media in the presence of magnets is important. The present study aims at providing a thorough analysis of the properties of heat transfer resulting from the combination of buoyancy driven convection and thermomagnetic convection in a porous enclosure. The equations governing the two types of convection in the fluid as well as the conduction in the solid matrix are presented in the dimensionless form and solved numerically. The control volume finite element method has been used to solve the governing equations. The influence of various parameters such as the magnetic Rayleigh number, the porosity, Darcy number, and the interfacial heat transfer coefficient on the flow and temperature contours and on the Nusselt number is then investigated. For low interface coefficient, the heat transfer in the fluid is enhanced when the overall porosity in the cavity is raised, while for high coefficients, the porosity of the bottom porous layer is the main parameter affecting the heat transfer.

Real-time observation of two distinctive non-thermalized hot electron dynamics at MXene/molecule interfaces

The photoinduced non-thermalized hot electrons at an interface play a pivotal role in determining plasmonic driven chemical events. However, understanding non-thermalized electron dynamics, which precedes electron thermalization (~125 fs), remains a grand challenge. Herein, we simultaneously captured the dynamics of both molecules and non-thermalized electrons in the MXene/molecule complexes by femtosecond time-resolved spectroscopy. The real-time observation allows for distinguishing non-thermalized and thermalized electron responses. Differing from the thermalized electron/heat transfer, our results reveal two non-thermalized electron dynamical pathways: (i) the non-thermalized electrons directly transfer to attached molecules at an interface within 50 fs; (ii) the non-thermalized electrons scatter at the interface within 125 fs, inducing adsorbed molecules heating. These two distinctive pathways are dependent on the irradiating wavelength and the energy difference between MXene and adsorbed molecules. This research sheds light on the fundamental mechanism and opens opportunities in photocatalysis and interfacial heat transfer theory.

Numerical Simulation of Lost-Foam Casting for Key Components of A356 Aluminum Alloy in New Energy Vehicles.

The intricate geometry and thin walls of the motor housing in new energy vehicles render it susceptible to casting defects during conventional casting processes. However, the lost-foam casting process holds a unique advantage in eliminating casting defects and ensuring the strength and air-tightness of thin-walled castings. In this paper, the lost-foam casting process of thin-walled A356 alloy motor housing was simulated using ProCAST software (2016.0). The results indicate that the filling process is stable and exhibits characteristics of diffusive filling. Solidification occurs gradually from thin to thick. Defect positions are accurately predicted. Through analysis of the defect volume range, the optimal process parameter combination is determined to be a pouring temperature of 700 °C, an interfacial heat transfer coefficient of 50, and a sand thermal conductivity coefficient of 0.5. Microscopic analysis of the motor housing fabricated using the process optimized through numerical simulations reveals the absence of defects such as shrinkage at critical locations.

Experimental investigation on the transient vascular thermal response to laser irradiation by a high-speed infrared thermal camera

Based on the photothermal effect, laser can be used to treat vascular diseases (VD) in clinic of dermatology and ophthalmology. Transient vascular thermal response to laser irradiation during millisecond laser pulse is the key phenomenon in treatment process, which has not been carefully investigated before. In this study, target blood vessels in dorsal skin chamber (DSC) animal model were irradiated by a pulsed 532 nm diode laser and a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser. The directed thermal responses (temperature variation) were recorded by a high-speed infrared thermal camera with a repetition rate of 1000 Hz. The temperature variation during and after single pulse irradiation and multipulse irradiation were investigated. The variation of blood absorption coefficient was explored based on the temperature increment in each laser pulse. The thermal properties of dorsal skin, especially the thermal diffusivity, were evaluated based on the temperature decay after each laser pulse. The interfacial heat transfer between the blood and the surroundings was also calculated based on the thermal images and compared to the correlation proposed before. The results show that the blood absorption to laser will increase by a maximum of 1.9 immediately after blood temperature exceeds threshold value, e.g., 68oC in both single pulse (pulse duration >100 ms) and multi-pulse laser irradiation. The tissue optical properties (thermal diffusivity) keep almost constant after millisecond laser heating. Also, a general correlation for interfacial heating transfer between blood and surroundings was developed, in which the influences of vessel shape and laser wavelength are incorporated. The interfacial heat transfer between blood and surrounding can be accurately quantified.

Experimental study on heat transfer characteristics of dispersed flow during strong transient reflood process

The dispersed heat transfer correlations obtained in the quasi-steady-state heating experiment may have some limitations in the strong transient reflood process. Therefore, this article will conduct a visualization experiment on single-rod channel reflood cooling under different working conditions. By combining the transient hydrodynamic characteristics of liquid droplets and the wall temperature transient curve, the boiling heat transfer characteristics of the dispersed flow stage during the reflood process are studied. Through comparative analysis, this article found that the traditional post-CHF (Critical Heat Flux) heat transfer correlations are difficult to characterize the impact of droplet number and size changes. This article is based on the form of a divided path heat transfer mechanism model. In response to the strong transient characteristics of dispersed flow during the reflood process in a restricted channel, the single-phase steam heat transfer model and the steam-droplet interfacial heat transfer model have been modified, greatly improving the prediction accuracy. The RMS of the predicted heat transfer coefficient decreased from 0.68 in the original model to 0.24 in the new model.

Effect of Boron on the Interfacial Heat Transfer, Contact Behavior, and Microstructure in the Simulation of Strip Casting of 3.5 Wt Pct Si Non-oriented Silicon Steel

Effect of Boron on the Interfacial Heat Transfer, Contact Behavior, and Microstructure in the Simulation of Strip Casting of 3.5 Wt Pct Si Non-oriented Silicon Steel

Experimental Study of Thermal Contacts for the Enhancement of Interfacial Heat Transfer

Abstract The thermal management in high-performance electronic devices demands the enhanced rate of heat dissipation for controlling operational temperatures and achieving optimal functioning. There are many interfaces in the heat dissipation circuit where thermal interface materials are applied to enhance heat transfer rate. An experimental investigation is presented on metallic contacts to study the interfacial heat transfer with and without a thermal interface material. Thermal contact conductance is known to be an important parameter estimated for the analysis of interfacial heat transfer across the thermal contacts. Therefore, the thermal contact conductance has been evaluated to identify an effective thermal interface material suitable for the present range of contact pressure and heat flux conditions. Silicone grease is a widely used thermal interface material in electronic industry. Thus, commercially available Silicone grease is evaluated in different boundary line thicknesses for a range of contact pressure and mean interface temperatures. Further, a novel composite thermal paste has been prepared by mixing cupric oxide nanopowder and Silicone grease in three different mass concentrations. Eventually, the results for the new thermal paste showed improved thermal contact conductance and lower interfacial temperature drops as compared to Silicone grease for similar test conditions with few limitations.

Effect of phosphorus content on interfacial heat transfer and film deposition behavior during the high-temperature simulation of strip casting

Effect of phosphorus content on interfacial heat transfer and film deposition behavior during the high-temperature simulation of strip casting

Development of physically based modelling of bubble behaviour for subcooled boiling applications

A methodology for the modelling of phase change phenomena in two-phase flow is presented, based on interface capturing simulation and the mechanistic modelling of interfacial heat and mass transfer. The volume of fluid approach is adopted, utilising a compressive scheme to maintain interface sharpness, allowing a continuum representation of mass and heat source terms to be used. The methodology is verified against analytical solutions for both evaporation and condensation phase change problems, demonstrating excellent agreement even in the case of a large phase density ratio and high rate of evaporation.

Study of nucleate boiling growth regime on thin surfaces.

In a context of energy transition, heat exchanges are a key for energy sobriety. Among those exchanges, nucleate boiling is the preferred heat transfer method for high heat flux. Vaporisation plays an important role in the nuclear industry, but also in thermal machines such as cooling systems in data centers. In spite of decades studying boiling thermodynamics, modelling heat transfers in the nucleate boiling is still a major difficulty because of its numerous parameters. In the 1960s, scientists developed promising models called heat flux partitioning models. These models have been improved over the years, but they need closure laws about bubbles dynamics and nucleation site density. For the purpose of improving those models, we took part in an international collaboration (ANR TraThI) to study interface heat transfer. Project focuses on boiling with a controlled nucleation site density with a strong emphasis on studying isolated bubbles in water pool boiling, and later addressing multiple bubble interactions in pool and flow boiling. This work focuses on the bubble growth regimes on thin metallic foil observed in a water pool boiling experiment, with a distinction between microlayer and contact line growth regime. Pulsed nanosecond laser was used to create active nucleation site, while high-speed infrared thermography and shadowgraphy were implemented to record transient wall temperatures and bubble dynamics, respectively. This work shows that our experimental configuration induced two different bubble growth regimes, depending on the imposed heat flux and the recent past at the nucleation site and its vicinity. Study provides a framework for further in-depth investigations with different experimental configurations.