Abstract: When an Au nanoparticle in a liquid medium is illuminated with resonant light of sufficient intensity, a nanometer scale envelope of vapor-a "nanobubble"-surrounding the particle, is formed. This is the nanoscale onset of the well-known process of liquid boiling, occurring at a single nanoparticle nucleation site, resulting from the photothermal response of the nanoparticle. Here we examine bubble formation at an individual metallic nanoparticle in detail. Incipient nanobubble formation is observed by monitoring the plasmon resonance shift of an individual, illuminated Au nanoparticle, when its local environment changes from liquid to vapor. The temperature on the nanoparticle surface is monitored during this process, where a dramatic temperature jump is observed as the nanoscale vapor layer thermally decouples the nanoparticle from the surrounding liquid. By increasing the intensity of the incident light or decreasing the interparticle separation, we observe the formation of micrometer-sized bubbles resulting from the coalescence of nanoparticle-"bound" vapor envelopes. These studies provide the first direct and quantitative analysis of the evolution of light-induced steam generation by nanoparticles from the nanoscale to the macroscale, a process that is of fundamental interest for a growing number of applications.

Abstract: Heat transfer and fluid flow in microchannels have been topics of intense research in the past decade. A critical review of the current state of research is presented with a focus on the future research needs. After providing a brief introduction, the paper addresses six topics related to transport phenomena in microchannels: single-phase gas flow, enhancement in single-phase liquid flow and flow boiling, flow boiling instability, condensation, electronics cooling, and microscale heat exchangers. After reviewing the current status, future research directions are suggested. Concerning gas phase convective heat transfer in microchannels, the antagonist role played by the slip velocity and the temperature jump that appear at the wall are now clearly understood and quantified. It has also been demonstrated that the shear work due to the slipping fluid increases the effect of viscous heating on heat transfer. On the other hand, very few experiments support the theoretical models and a significant effort should be made in this direction, especially for measurement of temperature fields within the gas in microchannels, implementing promising recent techniques such as molecular tagging thermometry (MTT). The single-phase liquid flow in microchannels has been established to behave similar to the macroscale flows. The current need is in the area of further enhancing the performance. Progress on implementation of flow boiling in microchannels is facing challenges due to its lower heat transfer coefficients and critical heat flux (CHF) limits. An immediate need for breakthrough research related to these two areas is identified. Discussion about passive and active methods to suppress flow boiling instabilities is presented. Future research focus on instability research is suggested on developing active closed loop feedback control methods, extending current models to better predict and enable superior control of flow instabilities. Innovative high-speed visualization and measurement techniques have led to microchannel condensation now being studied as a unique process with its own governing influences. Further work is required to develop widely applicable flow regime maps that can address many fluid types and geometries. With this, condensation heat transfer models can progress from primarily annular flow based models with some adjustments using dimensionless parameters to those that can directly account for transport in intermittent and other flows, and the varying influences of tube shape, surface tension and fluid property differences over much larger ranges than currently possible. Electronics cooling continues to be the main driver for improving thermal transport processes in microchannels, while efforts are warranted to develop high performance heat exchangers with microscale passages. Specific areas related to enhancement, novel configurations, nanostructures and practical implementation are expected to be the research focus in the coming years.

Abstract: When a droplet impacts upon a surface heated above the liquid's boiling point, the droplet either comes into contact with the surface and boils immediately (contact boiling), or is supported by a developing vapor layer and bounces back (film boiling, or Leidenfrost state). We study the transition between these characteristic behaviors and how it is affected by parameters such as impact velocity, surface temperature, and controlled roughness (i.e., micro-structures fabricated on silicon surfaces). In the film boiling regime, we show that the residence time of droplets impacting upon the surface strongly depends on the drop size. We also show that the maximum spreading factor Γ of droplets in this regime displays a universal scaling behavior Γ [similar] We3/10, which can be explained by taking into account the drag force of the vapor flow under the drop. This argument also leads to predictions for the scaling of film thickness and velocity of the vapor shooting out of the gap between the drop and the surface. In the contact boiling regime, we show that the structured surfaces induce the formation of vertical liquid jets during the spreading stage of impacting droplets

Abstract: We report large enhancements in critical heat flux (CHF) on hierarchically structured surfaces, fabricated using electrophoretic deposition of silica nanoparticles on microstructured silicon and electroplated copper microstructures covered with copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures. A critical heat flux of ≈250 W/cm2 was achieved on a CuO hierarchical surface with a roughness factor of 13.3, and good agreement between the model proposed in our recent study and the current data was found. These results highlight the important role of roughness using structures at multiple length scales for CHF enhancement. This high heat removal capability promises an opportunity for high flux thermal management.

Abstract: Evaporation momentum force arises due to the difference in liquid and vapor densities at an evaporating interface. The resulting rapid interface motion increases the microconvection heat transfer around a nucleating bubble in pool boiling. Microstructure features are developed on the basis of this hypothesis to control the bubble trajectory for (i) enhancing the heat transfer coefficient, and (ii) creating separate liquid and vapor pathways that result in an increased critical heat flux (CHF). An eightfold higher heat transfer coefficient (629 000 W/m2 °C) and two-and-half times higher CHF (3 MW/m2) over a plain copper surface were achieved with water.

Abstract: We report large enhancements in critical heat flux (CHF) on hierarchically structured surfaces, fabricated using electrophoretic deposition of silica nanoparticles on microstructured silicon and electroplated copper microstructures covered with copper oxide (CuO) nanostructures. A critical heat flux of ≈250 W/cm2 was achieved on a CuO hierarchical surface with a roughness factor of 13.3, and good agreement between the model proposed in our recent study and the current data was found. These results highlight the important role of roughness using structures at multiple length scales for CHF enhancement. This high heat removal capability promises an opportunity for high flux thermal management.

Abstract: Flow boiling in microchannels has been extensively studied in the past decade. Instabilities, low critical heat flux (CHF) values, and low heat transfer coefficients have been identified as the major shortcomings preventing its implementation in practical high heat flux removal systems. A novel open microchannel design with uniform and tapered manifolds (OMM) is presented to provide stable and highly enhanced heat transfer performance. The effects of the gap height and flow rate on the heat transfer performance have been experimentally studied with water. The critical heat fluxes (CHFs) and heat transfer coefficients obtained with the OMM are significantly higher than the values reported by previous researchers for flow boiling with water in microchannels. A record heat flux of 506W/cm 2 with a wall superheat of 26.2 � C was obtained for a gap size of 0.127mm. The CHF was not reached due to heater power limitation in the current design. A maximum effective heat transfer coefficient of 290,000W/m 2 � C was obtained at an intermediate heat flux of 319W/cm 2 with a gap of 0.254mm at 225mL/min. The flow boiling heat transfer was found to be insensitive to flow rates between 40‐333mL/min and gap sizes between 0.127‐1.016mm, indicating the dominance of nucleate boiling. The OMM geometry is promising to provide exceptional performance that is particularly attractive in meeting the challenges of high heat flux removal in electronics cooling applications. [DOI: 10.1115/1.4023574]

Abstract: Owing to their high reliability, simplicity of manufacture, passive operation, and effective heat transport, flat heat pipes and vapor chambers are used extensively in the thermal management of electronic devices. The need for concurrent size, weight, and performance improvements in high-performance electronics systems, without resort to active liquid-cooling strategies, demands passive heat-spreading technologies that can dissipate extremely high heat fluxes from small hot spots. In response to these daunting application-driven trends, a number of recent investigations have focused on the design, characterization, and fabrication of ultrathin vapor chambers for proximate heat spreading away from these hot spots. The predominant transport mechanisms and operational limits have been found to be different under these conditions relative to conventional low-power heat pipes. Noteworthy advances in the fundamental understanding of evaporation and boiling from porous microstructures fed by capillary action and improvements in vapor chamber characterization, modeling, design, and fabrication techniques are reviewed. Characterization of evaporation and boiling from idealized and realistic wick structures, observation of vapor formation regimes as a function of operating conditions, assessment of fluid dryout limitations, design of novel multiscale and nanostructured wicks for enhanced transport, and incorporation of these high-heat-flux transport phenomena into device-level models are discussed. These recent developments have successfully extended the maximum operating heat flux limits of vapor chambers.

Abstract: Ideal hydrophobic-hydrophilic composite cavities are highly desired to enhance nucleate boiling. However, it is challenging and costly to fabricate these types of cavities by conventional micro/nano fabrication techniques. In this study, a type of hydrophobic-hydrophilic composite interfaces were synthesized from functionalized multiwall carbon nanotubes by introducing hydrophilic functional groups on the pristine multiwall carbon nanotubes. This type of carbon nanotube enabled hydrophobic-hydrophilic composite interfaces were systematically characterized. Ideal cavities created by the interfaces were experimentally demonstrated to be the primary reason to substantially enhance nucleate boiling.

Abstract: Flow boiling of a potential refrigerant R32/R1234ze(E) in a horizontal microfin tube of 5.21 mm inner diameter is experimentally investigated. The heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop are measured at a saturation temperature of 10 °C, heat fluxes of 10 and 15 kW m −2 , and mass velocities from 150 to 400 kg m −2 s −1 . The HTC of R1234ze(E) is lower than that of R32. Degradation in the HTC of the R32/R1234ze(E) mixture is significant; the HTC is even lower than that of R1234ze(E). The HTC is minimized at the composition 0.2/0.8 by mass, where the temperature glide and the mass fraction distribution are maximized. A predicting correlation based on Momoki et al. (1995) associated with the correction methods of Thome (1981) to consider the mass transfer resistance and Stephan (1992) to consider the additionally required sensible heat is proposed and validated with the experimental results.

Abstract: The study of refrigerant-based nanofluid boiling and two-phase flow phenomena is still in its infancy This field of research provides many opportunities to study new frontiers but also poses great challenges To summarize the current status of research in this newly developing interdisciplinary field and to identify the future research needs as well, this paper presents a comprehensive review of nucleate pool boiling, flow boiling, condensation and two-phase flow of refrigerant-based nanofluids The effects of nanolubricants on boiling and two phase flow phenomena are presented as well Furthermore, studies of applications and challenges of refrigerant-based nanofluids are presented and future research needs are identified For the limited studies done so far, there are some controversies from one study to another Conclusions and contradictions on the available refrigerant-based studies of physical properties, boiling and two phase flow are presented According to this review, it has been realized that the physical properties have significant effects on the refrigerant-based nanofluid boiling and two-phase flow characteristics but the lack of the accurate knowledge of these physical properties has greatly limited the study in this interdisciplinary field Furthermore, the limited available experiments and quite contradictive results have limited the understanding of the fundamentals of boiling and two phase flow phenomena Flow regimes are very important in understanding the phenomena but less investigated so far Apparently it is still a long way to go to achieve systematic fundamental knowledge and theory in the relevant subject Therefore, effort should be made to contribute to the physical property database of nanofluids as a first priority Secondly, systematic accurate experiments and flow regime observations on boiling and two-phase flow phenomena under a wide range of test conditions and nanofluid types should be emphasized to understand the fundamentals Finally, physical mechanisms and prediction methods for boiling heat transfer and two phase flow characteristics should be targeted and applied research should also be focused on in the future