Scalable surface microstructuring by a fiber laser for controlled nucleate boiling performance of high- and low-surface-tension fluids

Gregorčič, Peter (author), Zupančič, Matevž (author), Golobič, Iztok (author)

Nucleate boiling enables effective cooling and heat transfer at low temperature differences between a heated surface and the surrounding fluid. It is utilized in many applications, ranging from large power plants to small microelectronics. To enhance the boiling process by minimization of the surface temperature and increase the maximum attainable heat flux, several approaches for surface modifications were recently developed. However, each of them has at least one important drawback, including challenging and expensive production, mechanical and/or thermal instability or problematic scale-up. Herein, a straightforward, robust and flexible method using a nanosecond fiber laser for production of surfaces with multi-scale micro-cavities (with diameters ranging from 0.2 to 10 µm) is developed. Examination of these surfaces in two very contrasting fluids - water, which is polar, has high surface tension and high latent heat of vaporization; and non-polar, dielectric tetradecafluorohexane (FC-72) with low surface tension and much lower latent heat - confirms that such surfaces enable enhanced heat transfer and controlled boiling in combination with diverse fluids. This demonstration suggests that the developed method has the potential to overcome the current limitations for further miniaturization of microelectronic devices and to increase performance and safety in high heat flux systems.

• Language: English
• Keywords: nucleate boiling, laser microstructuring, surface ingenering
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2018
• Number of pages: 8 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 8, art. 7461
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-101201
• UDC: 535(045)
• ISSN on article: 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-25843-5
• COBISS.SI-ID: 16034331
• Publication date in RUL: 11.05.2018

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Scientific reports
• Shortened title: Sci. rep.
• Publisher: Nature Publishing Group
• ISSN: 2045-2322
• COBISS.SI-ID: 18727432

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 10.05.2018

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: mehurčkasto vrenje, lasersko mikrostrukturiranje, inženiring površin