Enhanced boiling heat transfer simulation from structured surfaces: Semi-analytical model

A semi-analytical model of the bubble dynamics is proposed based on the experimental results reported in the literature on boiling from porous enhanced surfaces. The model considers the ‘flooded mode’ regime of enhancement boiling and is validated for data covering a range of tunnel and pore dimensions. The dynamic model accounts for the temporal evaporation rate variation inside tunnels to arrive at the latent heat flux due to internal evaporation and frequency of bubble formation. The population density is predicted using an empirical formulation, and in turn used to estimate the total heat flux from the porous enhanced surface. The model predicts the heat flux for pool boiling from structured surfaces within ±30% of the experimental data. The model is subsequently used in the prediction of the thermal performance of a novel two-phase heat spreader that employs porous structured surfaces for enhancing boiling heat transfer.