Fiber-optic liquid contact measurements in pool boiling.

Two optical techniques for use in detecting liquid contacts in film and transition boiling regimes were developed. The first optical method involves the measurements of liquid contacts on a high-temperature glass boiling surface in a transient experiment. The second technique utilizes a small fiber-optic probe mounted flush on a copper surface. Experiments have indicated the probe is sufficiently fast responding to provide accurate local measurements of liquid to solid contact in film and transition boiling regimes. The relationship between surface superheat and liquid contact time fraction was determined for both methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]