Two Large-Amplitude/Long-Period Oscillating Boiling Modes in Silicon Microchannels

A simultaneous visualization and measurement study has been carried out to investigate flow boiling of water in the 8 parallel silicon microchannels heated from below. It is found that there are two large-amplitude/long-period oscillating boiling modes exist in microchannels depending on the amounts of heat flux and mass flux. When the outlet water temperature is at saturation temperature and the wall temperatures are superheated, while the inlet water temperature is still subcooled, a Liquid/Two-phase Alternating Flow (LTAF) mode appears in the microchannels. This LTAF mode disappears when the inlet temperatures reaches the saturation temperature. As the heat flux is further increased such that the outlet water is superheated while the inlet water temperature is oscillating between subcooled and saturation temperature, a Liquid/Two-phase/Vapor Alternating Flow (LTVAF) mode begins. During these two unstable boiling modes, there are large-amplitude and long-period oscillations of water and wall temperatures with respect to time. Bubbly flow as well as some peculiar two-phase flow pattern are observed during the two-phase flow periods of the two unstable modes in the microchannels.