Laser Surface Texturing for the Intensification of Boiling Heat Transfer in a Minichannel

This study investigates the effects of vibration-assisted laser surface textures (VALS) and laser surface textures (LS) on boiling heat transfer in a minichannel. Various laser-textured surfaces were created and applied to study the flow of boiling FC-72 in a single minichannel. Infrared thermography was used to measure temperature changes on the untextured side of the foil, while two-phase flow patterns were observed through a glass pane. The heated textured surfaces in contact with the fluid in the minichannels varied in roughness. Experimental results were pre-sented as relationships between heated wall temperature, heat transfer coefficient and distance along the minichannel, boiling curves, and flow patterns. It was noticed that the #LS5 surfaces achieved the highest local heat transfer coefficient in the subcooled boiling region, while the #LS4 surfaces performed best in the saturated boiling region compared to all other surfaces, considering the results obtained at the same value of heat flux supplied to the heated wall.