Transient CHF phenomena due to exponentially increasing heat inputs

Abstract

The critical heat flux (CHF) levels that occurred due to exponential heat inputs for varying periods to a 1.0-mm diameter horizontal cylinder immersed in various liquids were measured to develop an extended database on the effect of high subcoolings for quasi-steady-state and transient maximum heat fluxes. Two main mechanisms of CHF were found. One mechanism is due to the time lag of the hydrodynamic instability (HI) which starts at steady-state CHF upon fully developed nucleate boiling, and the other mechanism is due to the explosive process of heterogeneous spontaneous nucleation (HSN) which occurs at a certain HSN superheat in originally flooded cavities on the cylinder surface. Steady-state CHFs were divided into three regions for lower, intermediate and higher subcooling at pressures resulting from HI, transition and HSN, respectively. HSN consistently occurred in the transient boiling CHF conditions that correspond to a short period. It was also found that the transient boiling CHFs gradually increased, then rapidly decreased and finally increased again as the period became shorter.