Flow boiling instabilities in microchannels and their promising solutions – A review

Abstract The present work has been undertaken with an aim to address major challenges during two-phase flow boiling in microchannels. A comprehensive review of literatures has been presented that highlights the problems of two-phase flow boiling and its suppression techniques. Emphasis has been given to the recent literatures addressing the issues of flow boiling instabilities in microchannels. The broad aspects that have been covered are overview of instabilities, their causes, consequences and suppression techniques. Major attention has been paid to highlight the promising solutions that have been investigated to mitigate the instabilities. Study revealed that inception of instabilities is inherent during flow boiling. Nevertheless, it is more sensitive to trigger-out in microchannels compare to macro or conventional channels. Researchers have common agreement over the causes of instabilities and their consequences such as pressure and temperature fluctuations, severe unstable flow boiling, flow reversal, early CHF (critical heat flux) and dry out. It has been identified that instabilities during flow boiling depends on mass flow rate, flow regimes, bubble dynamics, inlet subcooling, inlet compressibility and coolant properties. Study also revealed that in the recent year’s more attention has been paid to overcome the instability and issue has been addressed simultaneously with heat transfer enhancement studies. In order to suppress the instability various techniques have been investigated however, geometrical modification has been prominently considered to overcome the instability phenomenon.

[1]  C. Pan,et al.  Critical heat flux on flow boiling of methanol―water mixtures in a diverging microchannel with artificial cavities , 2011 .

[2]  Jinliang Xu,et al.  Seed bubbles stabilize flow and heat transfer in parallel microchannels , 2009 .

[3]  Flow Boiling of Water on Nanocoated Surfaces in a Microchannel , 2010, 1008.4696.

[4]  J. Thome.  Boiling in microchannels: a review of experiment and theory , 2004 .

[5]  A. H. Stenning,et al.  Flow oscillation modes in forced-convection boiling. , 1965 .

[6]  C. Pan,et al.  Boiling heat transfer and critical heat flux of ethanol–water mixtures flowing through a diverging microchannel with artificial cavities , 2012 .

[7]  J. Khan,et al.  Effect of Al2O3 nanoparticle deposition on flow boiling performance of water in a microchannel , 2013 .

[8]  L. Xu,et al.  Flow boiling of liquid nitrogen in micro-tubes: Part I – The onset of nucleate boiling, two-phase flow instability and two-phase flow pressure drop , 2007 .

[9]  A. Walton,et al.  Two-phase flow instabilities in a silicon microchannels heat sink , 2009 .

[10]  Y. Peles,et al.  Suppression of Boiling Flow Oscillations in Parallel Microchannels by Inlet , 2006 .

[11]  Kenneth E. Goodson,et al.  Bubble-Induced Water Hammer and Cavitation in Microchannel Flow Boiling , 2009 .

[12]  John T. Wen,et al.  Analysis and active control of pressure-drop flow instabilities in boiling microchannel systems , 2010 .

[13]  Mehmed Rafet Özdemir,et al.  The effects of inlet restriction and tube size on boiling instabilities and detection of resulting premature critical heat flux in microtubes using data analysis , 2014 .

[14]  A. Agrawal,et al.  An active control strategy for reduction of pressure instabilities during flow boiling in a microchannel , 2011 .

[15]  John R. Thome,et al.  Heat Transfer Model for Evaporation of Elongated Bubble Flows in Microchannels , 2002 .

[16]  P. Cheng,et al.  Effects of inlet/outlet configurations on flow boiling instability in parallel microchannels , 2008 .

[17]  Pasqualina M. Sarro,et al.  MEMS silicon-based micro-evaporator , 2011 .

[18]  P. Lee,et al.  Effects of surface roughness on flow boiling in silicon microgap heat sinks , 2013 .

[19]  S. Kandlikar,et al.  An Experimental Investigation of Flow Boiling Characteristics of Water in Parallel Microchannels , 2004 .

[20]  Zachary J. Edel,et al.  Experimental investigation of vapor bubble growth during flow boiling in a microchannel , 2011 .

[21]  W. Wang,et al.  Theoretical analysis and modeling of flow instability in a mini-channel evaporator , 2017 .

[22]  Gongnan Xie,et al.  A review of heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of single and two-phase microchannels , 2014 .

[23]  L. Pan,et al.  Modeling of reversal flow and pressure fluctuation in rectangular microchannel , 2016 .

[24]  Yasushi Saito,et al.  CHF in Oscillatory Flow Boiling Channels , 2001 .

[25]  I. Mudawar,et al.  Two-phase flow in high-heat-flux micro-channel heat sink for refrigeration cooling applications: Part II—heat transfer characteristics , 2005 .

[26]  Ruey-Jen Yang,et al.  A study of mini-channel thermal module design for achieving high stability and high capability in electronic cooling , 2013 .

[27]  Yong Tang,et al.  An experimental investigation on effect of channel configuration in ultra-shallow micro multi-channels flow boiling: Heat transfer enhancement and visualized presentation , 2017 .

[28]  Sadik Kakaç,et al.  A Review of two-phase flow dynamic instabilities in tube boiling systems , 2008 .

[29]  Tadashi Sakaguchi,et al.  Flow instabilities in parallel-channel flow systems of gas-liquid two-phase mixtures , 1989 .

[30]  A. Mosyak,et al.  Boiling incipience in parallel micro-channels with low mass flux subcooled water flow , 2012 .

[31]  S. Kandlikar,et al.  Numerical study of the effect of inlet constriction on bubble growth during flow boiling in microchannels , 2005 .

[32]  Ibrahim Hassan,et al.  Characteristics of Flow Boiling Oscillations in Silicon Microchannel Heat Sinks , 2007 .

[33]  P. Lee,et al.  Comparative Study of Temperature and Pressure Instabilities During Flow Boiling in Straight- and 10° Oblique-Finned Microchannels , 2015 .

[34]  Qingming Liu,et al.  Numerical study of bubbles rising and merging during convective boiling in micro-channels , 2016 .

[35]  Yong Tang,et al.  Effects of structural parameter on flow boiling performance of interconnected microchannel net , 2017 .

[36]  S. Garimella,et al.  Local heat transfer distribution and effect of instabilities during flow boiling in a silicon microchannel heat sink , 2011 .

[37]  J. Khan,et al.  Enhanced flow boiling in a microchannel with integration of nanowires , 2012 .

[38]  Suresh V. Garimella,et al.  Towards a Thermal Moore's Law , 2007 .

[39]  Y. Wang,et al.  Flow boiling in high-aspect ratio mini- and micro-channels with FC-72 and ethanol: Experimental results and heat transfer correlation assessments , 2012 .

[40]  Vikash,et al.  Multiphase fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in microchannels , 2017 .

[41]  H. Lee,et al.  Flow instability of evaporative micro-channels , 2010 .

[42]  Bengt Sundén,et al.  On further enhancement of single-phase and flow boiling heat transfer in micro/minichannels , 2014 .

[43]  Stéphane Colin,et al.  Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Minichannels and Microchannels , 2005 .

[44]  S. Saha,et al.  Heat transfer characteristics of flow boiling in a single horizontal microchannel , 2010 .

[45]  Yong Tang,et al.  A comparative study of flow boiling performance in the interconnected microchannel net and rectangular microchannels , 2016 .

[46]  P. Hrnjak,et al.  New approach to improve performance by venting periodic reverse vapor flow in microchannel evaporator , 2013 .

[47]  P. Cheng,et al.  An experimental study of flow boiling instability in a single microchannel , 2008 .

[48]  Lounes Tadrist,et al.  Experimental study of unsteady convective boiling in heated minichannels , 2003 .

[49]  Suresh V. Garimella,et al.  Boiling heat transfer and flow regimes in microchannels — a comprehensive understanding , 2009, 2009 15th International Workshop on Thermal Investigations of ICs and Systems.

[50]  Matthew Law,et al.  Experimental investigation of flow boiling heat transfer in novel oblique-finned microchannels , 2014 .

[51]  Satish G. Kandlikar,et al.  Fundamental issues related to flow boiling in minichannels and microchannels , 2002 .

[52]  Anthony J. Walton,et al.  Bubble dynamics and flow boiling instabilities in microchannels , 2013 .

[53]  M. Pathak,et al.  Clogging behavior of an elongated bubble in uniform and diverging microchannel , 2016 .

[54]  Xiaojun Quan,et al.  Recent Work on Boiling and Condensation in Microchannels , 2009 .

[55]  Gherhardt Ribatski,et al.  Flow boiling in micro-scale channels – Synthesized literature review , 2013 .

[56]  M. Miner,et al.  An Experimental Investigation of Pressure Drop in Expanding Microchannel Arrays , 2014 .

[57]  L. Jia,et al.  Experimental investigation on bubble confinement and elongation in microchannel flow boiling , 2014 .

[58]  Min-Soo Kim,et al.  Experimental study on microchannel heat sinks considering mass flow distribution with non-uniform heat flux conditions , 2010 .

[59]  Qingming Liu,et al.  A numerical study of the transition from slug to annular flow in micro-channel convective boiling , 2017 .

[60]  John R. Thome,et al.  Two-phase heat transfer and high-speed visualization of refrigerant flows in 100 × 100 μm2 silicon multi-microchannels , 2013 .

[61]  A. E. Bergles,et al.  Review of two-phase flow instability , 1973 .

[62]  C. Gau,et al.  Boiling flow characteristics in microchannels with very hydrophobic surface to super-hydrophilic surface , 2011 .

[63]  Yoav Peles,et al.  Pressure effects on flow boiling instabilities in parallel microchannels , 2009 .

[64]  David F. Fletcher,et al.  On the importance of upstream compressibility in microchannel boiling heat transfer , 2013 .

[65]  Jae Sung Yoon,et al.  Modeling and simulation on the mass flow distribution in microchannel heat sinks with non-uniform heat flux conditions , 2010 .

[66]  Y. Peles,et al.  A Comparative Study of Flow Boiling in a Microchannel With Piranha Pin Fins , 2016 .

[67]  A. Mosyak,et al.  Periodic boiling in parallel micro-channels at low vapor quality , 2006 .

[68]  Dieter Mewes,et al.  Review of two-phase flow and flow boiling of mixtures in small and mini channels , 2006 .

[69]  Yong Tang,et al.  A comparative study of flow boiling performance in reentrant copper microchannels and reentrant porous microchannels with multi-scale rough surface , 2015 .

[70]  A. Mosyak,et al.  Nonuniform Temperature Distribution in Electronic Devices Cooled by Flow in Parallel Microchannels , 2000, Packaging of Electronic and Photonic Devices.

[71]  L. Tadrist,et al.  Pressure drop and heat transfer analysis of flow boiling in a minichannel: influence of the inlet condition on two-phase flow stability , 2004 .

[72]  John R. Thome,et al.  Two-phase flow operational maps for multi-microchannel evaporators , 2013 .

[73]  P. Lee,et al.  Effects of varying oblique angles on flow boiling heat transfer and pressure characteristics in oblique-finned microchannels , 2016 .

[74]  Masaru Noda,et al.  CFD-based optimal design of manifold in plate-fin microdevices , 2004 .

[75]  M. Pathak,et al.  A comparative study of flow boiling heat transfer in three different configurations of microchannels , 2015 .

[76]  L. Jia,et al.  Confined bubble growth and heat transfer characteristics during flow boiling in microchannel , 2016 .

[77]  N. Shikazono,et al.  Stabilization of flow boiling in a micro tube with air injection , 2011 .

[78]  G. Xia,et al.  Experimental investigation of flow boiling performance in microchannels with and without triangular cavities – A comparative study , 2017 .

[79]  Jinliang Xu,et al.  Static and dynamic flow instability of a parallel microchannel heat sink at high heat fluxes , 2005 .

[80]  John R. Thome,et al.  Elongated Bubbles in Microchannels Part II: Experimental Study and Modeling of Bubble Collisions , 2008 .

[81]  J. Thome,et al.  An experimental study on flow boiling pressure drop in multi-microchannel evaporators with different refrigerants , 2017 .

[82]  Xuejun Chen,et al.  Dynamic instabilities of boiling two-phase flow in a single horizontal channel , 1995 .

[83]  Yan Sun,et al.  Subcooled flow boiling heat transfer from microporous surfaces in a small channel , 2011 .

[84]  Daxiang Deng,et al.  On the flow boiling enhancement in interconnected reentrant microchannels , 2017 .

[85]  John R. Thome,et al.  Heat Transfer Model for Evaporation in Microchannels, Part I: Presentation of the Model , 2004 .

[86]  Cheng-Tang Pan,et al.  Convective boiling in a parallel microchannel heat sink with a diverging cross section and artificial nucleation sites , 2011 .

[87]  Huiying Wu,et al.  LIQUID/TWO-PHASE/VAPOR ALTERNATING FLOW DURING BOILING IN MICROCHANNELS AT HIGH HEAT FLUX , 2003 .

[88]  John T. Wen,et al.  Ledinegg instability in microchannels , 2009 .

[89]  S. Chou,et al.  Experimental investigation of flow boiling heat transfer and instabilities in straight microchannels , 2013 .

[90]  J. Khan,et al.  Effect of Cu–Al2O3 nanocomposite coating on flow boiling performance of a microchannel , 2013 .

[91]  Albert Mosyak,et al.  Two-phase flow patterns in parallel micro-channels , 2003 .

[92]  Fan-Gang Tseng,et al.  Bubble dynamics in microchannels. Part I: single microchannel , 2004 .

[93]  Huang Qingsong,et al.  Experimental study and optimization of pin fin shapes in flow boiling of micro pin fin heat sinks , 2017 .

[94]  Cheol Huh,et al.  An experimental investigation of flow boiling in an asymmetrically heated rectangular microchannel , 2006 .

[95]  Yoav Peles,et al.  Parallel-channel flow instabilities and active control schemes in two-phase microchannel heat exchanger systems , 2010, Proceedings of the 2010 American Control Conference.

[96]  I. Mudawar,et al.  Measurement and correlation of critical heat flux in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks , 2004 .

[97]  Ronggui Yang,et al.  Enhancing flow boiling heat transfer in microchannels for thermal management with monolithically-integrated silicon nanowires. , 2012, Nano letters.

[98]  I. Mudawar,et al.  Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics of low temperature two-phase micro-channel heat sinks – Part 1: Experimental methods and flow visualization results , 2008 .

[99]  Anthony J. Walton,et al.  Experimental investigation of non-uniform heating effect on flow boiling instabilities in a microchannel-based heat sink , 2009 .

[100]  Tassos G. Karayiannis,et al.  Confined bubble growth during flow boiling in a mini/micro-channel of rectangular cross-section Part I: Experiments and 1-D modelling , 2011 .

[101]  Zhenguo Wang,et al.  An overview of liquid–vapor phase change, flow and heat transfer in mini- and micro-channels , 2014 .

[102]  Huiying Wu,et al.  Unstable and stable flow boiling in parallel microchannels and in a single microchannel , 2007 .

[103]  S. Kandlikar,et al.  The effect of inlet constriction on bubble growth during flow boiling in microchannels , 2009 .

[104]  G. Ribatski,et al.  Heat transfer during convective boiling inside microchannels , 2016 .

[105]  M. Kim,et al.  Flow pattern transition instability during flow boiling in a single microchannel , 2007 .

[106]  Wei Zhang,et al.  Active control of flow and heat transfer in silicon microchannels , 2010 .

[107]  A. Megahed.  Experimental investigation of flow boiling characteristics in a cross-linked microchannel heat sink , 2011 .

[108]  I. Mudawar,et al.  Measurement and prediction of pressure drop in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks , 2003 .

[109]  Huiying Wu,et al.  Boiling instability in parallel silicon microchannels at different heat flux , 2004 .

[110]  G. Ribatski,et al.  Critical heat flux in a 0.38 mm microchannel and actions for suppression of flow boiling instabilities , 2015 .

[111]  Zhenping Wan,et al.  Experimental investigations on flow boiling performance of reentrant and rectangular microchannels – A comparative study , 2015 .

[112]  Satish G. Kandlikar,et al.  Stabilization of Flow Boiling in Microchannels Using Pressure Drop Elements and Fabricated Nucleation Sites , 2006 .

[113]  S. Chou,et al.  Experimental investigations of flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop in straight and expanding microchannels – A comparative study , 2011 .

[114]  T. Fisher,et al.  Effects of carbon nanotube coating on flow boiling in a micro-channel , 2009 .

[115]  K. Sefiane,et al.  Unsteady-state fluctuations analysis during bubble growth in a “rectangular” microchannel , 2011 .

[116]  A. Agrawal,et al.  Pressure drop and heat transfer characteristics of boiling water in sub-hundred micron channel , 2009 .

[117]  D. Fletcher,et al.  Numerical simulation of annular flow hydrodynamics in microchannels , 2016 .

[118]  Chen Li,et al.  Can multiple flow boiling regimes be reduced into a single one in microchannels? , 2013, Applied Physics Letters.

[119]  L. Jia,et al.  Confined characteristics of bubble during boiling in microchannel , 2016 .

[120]  P. Lee,et al.  Effects of varying secondary channel widths on flow boiling heat transfer and pressure characteristics in oblique-finned microchannels , 2016 .

[121]  Satish G. Kandlikar.  Heat Transfer Mechanisms During Flow Boiling in Microchannels , 2004 .

[122]  Yong Tang,et al.  Enhanced flow boiling in an interconnected microchannel net at different inlet subcooling , 2016 .

[123]  A. E. Bergles,et al.  On the Nature of Critical Heat Flux in Microchannels , 2003 .

[124]  Huiying Wu,et al.  Visualization and measurements of periodic boiling in silicon microchannels , 2003 .

[125]  P. Hrnjak,et al.  Periodical reverse flow and boiling fluctuations in a microchannel evaporator of an air-conditioning system , 2013 .

[126]  W. Wang,et al.  Flow boiling of ammonia and flow instabilities in mini-channels , 2017 .

[127]  S. Kandlikar,et al.  Numerical simulation of growth of a vapor bubble during flow boiling of water in a microchannel , 2005 .

[128]  C. Pan,et al.  Flow pattern maps and transition criteria for flow boiling of binary mixtures in a diverging microchannel , 2011 .

[129]  G. Ribatski,et al.  Flow patterns and bubble departure fundamental characteristics during flow boiling in microscale channels , 2014 .

[131]  Albert Mosyak,et al.  A uniform temperature heat sink for cooling of electronic devices , 2002 .

[132]  R. Peterson,et al.  Enhanced Boiling Heat Transfer in Parallel Microchannels With Diffusion Brazed Wire Mesh , 2010, IEEE Transactions on Components and Packaging Technologies.

[133]  Ritunesh Kumar,et al.  Twenty first century cooling solution: Microchannel heat sinks. , 2014 .

[134]  Biao Tang,et al.  Enhanced flow boiling in parallel microchannels with metallic porous coating , 2013 .

[135]  Orhan Aydin,et al.  An experimental investigation of saturated flow boiling heat transfer and pressure drop in square microchannels , 2016 .

[136]  M. Pathak,et al.  Bubble dynamics and flow boiling characteristics in three different microchannel configurations , 2017 .

[137]  John R. Thome,et al.  Elongated bubbles in microchannels. Part I: Experimental study and modeling of elongated bubble velocity , 2008 .

[138]  M. Pathak,et al.  Transient heat transfer characteristics of segmented finned microchannels , 2016 .

[139]  John T. Wen,et al.  Two-phase refrigerant flow instability analysis and active control in transient electronics cooling systems , 2011 .