Numerical analysis of film boiling around horizontal cylindrical surfaces

Abstract

Papers presented to the 11th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, South Africa, 20-23 July 2015.

Stability of vapor film over a horizontal heater drags attention due to its wide spread applications in nuclear reactors, metal processing, manufacturing and chemical refineries. Existence of vapor film around the heater can cause advantages as well as disadvantages for various applications in industry and daily life. Hence understanding the film formation and its subsequent release in the form of bubble are dealt carefully by researchers in heat transfer community. Critical vapor thickness and average heat flux are the essential parameters which govern the release of vapor mass in the form of isolated bubbles from the surface. Experimental evidences have been reported in order to find out film dynamics for some specific fluids. However understanding it from the fundamental physics is still due and becomes a major challenge for heat transfer community. In this paper, numerical analysis of the film boiling heat transfer on a horizontal cylinder is presented to determine the effect of superheating on the heat transfer coefficient and film thickness in a pool. Findings from the present study will develop knowhow about the film formation and its role in enhancing the boiling heat transfer coefficient.