Direct Numerical Simulation of EHD-Enhanced Film Boiling Available to Purchase

In applications involving boiling in micro-devices or under microgravity conditions it is extremely desirable to enhance the heat transfer rate to increase the efficiency of these systems. Here, a possible mechanism is to increase the convective effects by application of an electric field on the bulk of the fluid. While the enhancement of heat and mass transfer by electric field has been known for decades, a fundamental understanding of the problem is still lacking, primarily due to the difficulties in conduct of experimental studies. Direct Numerical Simulations (DNS) opens up enormous possibilities for detailed understanding of EHD-enhanced film boiling. Such simulations can make it possible to capture the dynamics of the boiling flows. Here, we present a front tracking/finite difference algorithm, in conjunction with a leaky-dielectric electrohydrodynamic (EHD) model, to study EHD-enhanced film boiling on horizontal surfaces. According to this study, the bubble shape and its frequency of release are highly dependent on the dielectric properties of fluid, and electric field strength. Our results show an improvement of about 50% in the Nu number over that of the regular boiling in the range of parameters that are explored here.