On the Intrinsic Properties Effects of the Heater Surface in Nucleate Pool Boiling: A Simulation Study

Abstract

This study investigates the influence of heater material properties on nucleate pool boiling through the utilization of a comprehensive simulation model. The model integrates well-known heat transfer mechanisms, allowing to assess the effects of two distinct heater materials. The results suggest that materials with higher thermal conductivity, such as copper, significantly enhance refrigeration efficiency during nucleate boiling. Moreover, the study provides insightsinto the relationship between bubble growth, microlayer recovery beneath a bubble, temperature fluctuations and heater properties. Comparisons between copper and silicon oxide underscore variations in bubble frequency, attributed to differences in bubble growth time, microlayer recovery time, and material dependent behavior. The influence of neighboring bubbling sites, especially pronounced in silicon oxide due to its low thermal conductivity and diffusivity, was observed. Temperature variations in such materials became highly visible due to their significant thermal inertia in recovery. Simulation results align well with semi-empirical correlations, confirming the model’s versatility in capturingthe intricate phenomena of nucleate pool boiling.