An experimental investigation of flow boiling characteristics in a single transparent heated microtube

In the present study, flow boiling in a transparent heated microtube having a diameter of 1 mm was investigated in detail. The transparent heated tube was manufactured by the electroless gold plating method. The enclosed gas-liquid interface could be clearly recognized through the tube wall, and the inner wall temperature measurement and direct heating of the film were simultaneously conducted by using the tube. Deaerated and deionized water that was subcooled temperature of 15 K was used as a test fluid, and constant and stable mass velocities of 50, 100, and 200 kg/m²s were provided by using a twin plunger pump. Among our experimental results, a vapor bubble grew up in a direction opposite the flow at a low heat flux and low mass velocities; however, this flow pattern was not observed at a high mass velocity of 200 kg/m ²s. Under the conditions of G = 50 kg/m²s and high heat flux, the liquid film surrounding an elongated bubble near the heated tube wall occasionally thickened partially. The inner wall temperature exhibited large random oscillations in this regime; however, the visual observation revealed that dry-patches did not occur. The mass velocity had a negligible effect on the boiling heat transfer except in the counter-growth bubble flow regime.