Heat exchange processes near the boundary of a film boiling nucleus

Results are presented of an experimental investigation of the change in temperature, heat flux to the liquid, and rate of displacement of the isotherms near a film boiling nucleus propagating over a plane surface. The experiment was carried out in a liquid nitrogen bath at atmospheric pressure on the saturation line. The heater was a sapphire plate 1.2 mm thick having a heat transfer surface area of 77×22 mm2. The following facts were established: 1) near the boundary of the film boiling nucleus a new heat exchange mechanism takes place caused by the instability of the liquid microlayer; 2) the maximum heat flux to the liquid is considerably greater than the critical heat flux; 3) the vapor film in the film boiling region grows gradually with increasing distance from the boundary, i.e., there is a smooth transition in terms of heat exchange intensity before the equilibrium film boiling level is reached.