Boiling Heat Transfer in Horizontal and Inclined Rectangular Channels

The present experimental investigation is concerned with boiling heat transfer of water inside both horizontal and inclined rectangular channels under a relatively low heat flux. These configurations simulate the absorber channel of line-focus solar concentrations under boiling conditions. The experimental facility includes electrically heated aluminum rectangular channels with aspect ratios of 2.67 and 0.37. The experimental results of the two-phase Nusselt number for the two aspect ratios and for the inclination angles 0, 15, 30, and 45 deg were correlated in terms of a ratio of the two-phase to the liquid-phase Reynolds number for the forced-convection vaporization region. The proposed correlations agree well with previous investigations. In the present work, classifications of the various flow patterns were made by direct observation through a glass window at the end of the test section.