Flow Boiling and Condensation of Mixtures in Microscale

Lead Research Organisation: Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: School of Engineering & Materials Scienc

Abstract

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Description Flow boiling in microchannels offers the best method for removing the high heat fluxes that prevail in electronic devices and form a bottle neck for further required increases in power densities. Use of novel mixtures, termed 'self-rewetting fluids', whose surface tension properties lend themselves to improved wetting on hot surfaces, potentially offers scope for enhanced performance at the evaporator and the required condenser for a fully integrated thermal management system.
The key
Exploitation Route Thermacore -Boyd Corporation (regular communication and visit in January 2020)
Initiated discussion on the possibility of further work. In particular, Thermacore is interested in comparison trials between a water charged commercial heat pipe assembly and novel self-rewetting fluid assembly (ethanol or butanol water mixtures).

Oxford nanosystems (coatings)
The positive result on the effect of coatings on the flow boiling performance and the possible heat transfer enhancement was communica
Sectors Aerospace, Defence and Marine,Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology,Transport
 
Description The results of the project were published in 17 conference and journal papers by the academic partners and their teams. This topic was also covered in keynote lectures (e.g. 16th Int. Heat Transfer Convers, Beijing, 2018 and 15th Int. Conf. on Nanochannels, Microchannels and Minichannels, 10-13 June 2018, Dubrovnik, Croatia) as well as in presentations at an academia-industry workshop (Thermal Management Workshop, 31st May 2018, Brighton University) Discussion with industrial partners for application are now well underway. A recent visit and presentation to Thermacore -Boyd Corporation in January 2020 initiated discussion on the possibility of further work. In particular, our industrial partners are interested in comparison trials between a water charged commercial heat pipe assembly and novel self-rewetting fluid assembly (ethanol or butanol water mixtures). The positive result on the effect of coatings on the flow boiling performance and the possible heat transfer enhancement was communicated to Oxford nanoSystems and was presented at TMD Technologies in January 2020. Representatives from the two companies have agreed to arrange to meet to discuss collaboration on cooling of electronic equipment with designs that include the coating provided by Oxford nanosystems. Thermacore will also consider coated surfaces for their ammonia systems. The academic team is supporting Oxford nanoSystems in developing their own testing facilities and providing data in the form of graphs to help them market their product. The work completed under this project formed the basis for an additional EPSRC funded project (Brunel, UoE and Imperial College) entitled Enhanced Multiscale Boiling Surfaces (EMBOSS): From Fundamentals to Design (EP/S0195202). In this work, our experimental and computational techniques, spanning the scales from molecular to millimetres, will inform the rational design, fabrication, and optimisation of operational prototypes of pool-boiling thermal management systems. Our industrial partners include Thermacore, TMD ltd and Oxford nanoSystems as in the project described here. Queen Mary has been working with Super Radiator Coils to obtain and analyse experimental data of condensation and flow boiling of mixtures for design of heat exchangers.
Sector Education,Electronics,Energy,Environment,Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology
Impact Types Economic
 
Title Heat transfer and pressure drop database during condensation of steam-alcohol mixtures in microchannels 
Description A large, accurate database based on our novel inverse method for heat transfer and pressure drop during condensation of steam-ethanol and steam-butanol mixtures in microchannels have been obtained. A large, accurate database for condensation heat transfer of steam-ethanol and steam-butanol mixtures on a horizontal smooth tube have been obtained. 
Type Of Material Database/Collection of data 
Year Produced 2018 
Provided To Others? Yes  
Impact Part of the data has been published in international conferences. The data will be published in more conferences and international journals.