Surface wettability control by nanocoating: The effects on pool boiling heat transfer and nucleation mechanism

Experiments were performed to highlight the influence of surface wettability on nucleate boiling heat transfer. Nanocoating techniques were used to vary the water contact angle from 20 degrees to 110 degrees by modifying nanoscale surface topography and chemistry. The bubble growth was recorded by a high speed video camera to enable a better understanding of the surface wettability effects on nucleation mechanism. For hydrophilic (wetted) surfaces, it was found that a greater surface wettability increases the vapour bubble departure radius and reduces the bubble emission frequency. Moreover, lower superheat is required for the initial growth of bubbles on hydrophobic (unwetted) surfaces. However, the bubble in contact with the hydrophobic surface cannot detach from the wall and have a curvature radius increasing with time. At higher heat flux, the bubble spreads over the surface and coalesces with bubbles formed at other sites, causing a large area of the surface to become vapour blanketed. The best heat transfer coefficient is obtained with the surface which had a water contact angle close to either 0 degrees or 90 degrees. A new approach of nucleation mechanism is established to clarify the nexus between the surface wettability and the nucleate boiling heat transfer. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.