Use of a thin liquid film moving under the action of gas flow in a mini-channel for removing high heat fluxes

Abstract

Intensively evaporating liquid films shear-driven in a mini- or micro-channel under the action of cocurrent gas flow are promising for the use in modern cooling systems of semiconductor devices. In this work, we investigated the influence of liquid and gas flow rates on the critical heat flux in a locally heated film of water, moving under the action of air flow in a mini-channel. In experiments a record value of critical heat flux of 870 W/cm2 was reached. Heat spreading into the substrate and heat losses to the atmosphere in total do not exceed 25 % at heat fluxes above 400 W/cm2. A comparison with the critical heat flux for water flow boiling in the channel shows that, for shear-driven liquid films the critical heat flux is almost an order of magnitude higher.