Studying heat transfer enhancement for water boiling on a surface with micro- and nanorelief

We present the results from a study of heat transfer enhancement for bulk water boiling at atmospheric pressure on a surface with micro- and nanorelief, including a relief formed from silicon carbide and aluminum oxide nanoparticles. Horizontally oriented steel tube 1.2 mm in diameter and copper plate 15 × 3 mm in size were selected as test sections. The process was recorded by means of a video camera, and the values of heat transfer, critical heat fluxes, and contact angles were measured. The use of surface with micro- and nanorelief makes it possible to obtain a significantly higher critical heat flux and boiling heat transfer coefficient owing to a change of surface wettability. The results of investigations can find use in compact heat exchangers, refrigerating plants, heat pipes, in the mirrors of high-capacity lasers, in the targets and resonators of charged particle accelerators and for external cooling of reactor vessels under emergency conditions.