Flow Boiling Heat Transfer in Micro-passages

The project is at the forefront of research in flow boiling in small and microchannels and involves advanced fundamental experimental research.

Based at Brunel University London, the PhD student will be part of a team comprising academics and researchers at Imperial College London, the University of Nottingham and industrial partners. They will also work closely with the Post-Doctoral Research Fellow employed on the project.

The research will start with the setting up of an experimental facility followed by a systematic study of flow boiling in single and multi-microchannels.

The project will include an assessment of the effect of geometry (aspect ratio) and surface characteristics on flow boiling patterns, heat transfer mechanism(s) and heat transfer rates as well as pressure drop in single passages. The research will then be extended to multichannel heat exchangers.

Novel manufacturing methods, i.e. (i) additive manufacturing and (ii) embossing technology will be employed to manufacture the test sections and their performance will be compared under similar experimental conditions. Coated microchannels will also be studied.

Experiments and numerical modelling performed by our partners could be used to agree and possibly extend the range of diameter and aspect ratio studied.