Effect of interfacial wavy motion on film boiling heat transfer from isothermal downward-facing hemispheres

Abstract Film boiling heat transfer coefficients for a downward-facing hemispherical surface are measured from the quenching tests in Downward-Boiling Experiment Laminar Transition Apparatus (DELTA). Two test sections are made of copper to maintain low Biot numbers. The outer diameters of the hemispheres are 120 and 294 mm, respectively. The thickness of all the test sections is 30 mm. The effect of diameter on film boiling heat transfer is quantified utilizing results obtained from the test sections. The measured data are compared with the numerical predictions from laminar film boiling analysis. The measured heat transfer coefficients are found to be greater than those predicted by the conventional laminar flow theory on account of the interfacial wavy motion incurred by the Helmholtz instability. Incorporation of the wavy motion model considerably improves the agreement between the experimental and numerical results in terms of heat transfer coefficient. In addition, the film boiling was visualized using a digital camera.