Pressure drop across micro-pin heat sinks under boiling conditions

Official URL: http://www.boiling2009.com.br/program.pdf

Two-phase pressure drop was studied in four different micro pin fin heat sinks. Micro pin fin heat sinks used in the current studies were operated under boiling conditions using water and R-123 as working fluids. It was observed that once boiling was initiated severe temperature fluctuations and flow oscillations were recorded for three of the micro pin fin heat sinks, which was characterized as unstable boiling. Pressure drop signals were presented just before and after the unstable boiling conditions. Flow images and FFT (fast Fourier Transform) profiles of pressure signals were used to explain experimental results and unstable nature in flow boiling observed in the three of the devices. Stable boiling conditions where the temperature and pressure drop had a steady and stable profile could be only obtained from one micro pin fin heat sink at high mass velocities. The two-phase pressure drop in this hydrofoil-based micro pin fin heat sink has been investigated using R-123 as the working fluid. Two-phase frictional multipliers have been obtained over mass fluxes from 976 to 2349 kg/m2. It has been found that the two-phase frictional multiplier is strongly dependent on flow pattern. The theoretical prediction using Martinelli parameter based on the laminar fluid and laminar gas flow represented the experimental data fairly well for the spray-annular flow. For the bubbly and wavy-intermittent flow, however, large deviations from the experimental data were recorded. The Martinelli parameter was used successfully to determine the flow patterns, which were bubbly, wavy-intermittent, and spray-annular flow in the current study.