BOILING HEAT TRANSFER

Object
To study the boiling heat transfer phenomenon for pool boiling of water.

Theory
Boiling heat transfer is a mode of heat transfer that occurs because of vaporization.
Vaporization is a process in which a substance is changed from liquid to the vapor state.
Pool boiling takes place when a liquid is confined in a container and a heater is
submerged in the liquid.
Consider that the rate of convective heat transfer q for a system is expressed by
the Newton’s equation:
q = hA (ΔT)
where,
h = heat transfer coefficient
A = area involved in heat transfer
ΔT = temperature difference

An analogous equation used for boiling heat transfer is:

q” = hb (ΔTs)
where,
q” = q/A is called the heat flux
hb = boiling heat transfer coefficient
ΔTs = wall superheat, defined as the difference between the wall temperature
of the heating surface,Tw and the saturation temperature of the liquid Tsat
ΔTs = Tw - Tsat

The value of hb for a boiling system changes as the system passes trough different
regimes. These regimes can be shown on a boiling curve. A plot of q”vs ΔTs on
logarithmic coordinates will give rise to a boiling curve as shown in figure below

4
log(q/A)

3
5
2 6

log{Tw -Tsat}
Fig. 1. Boiling curves showing regimes of
boiling
In the Pool Boiling experiment q”, the heat flux, and ΔTs , the difference between the
temperature of the heater surface, Tw , and that of the boiling liquid,Tsat ,are measured.
At low temperature drops heat is transferred to the liquid by natural convection, this
region is shown by a straight line 1-2 on a log-log plot(Figure1 shown above) .The
liquid must be superheated to some degree before bubbles form on the heater surface.
At point 2 the liquid superheat has increased to a point where vapor bubbles
begin to form on the heater surface at few preferred locations; this point on the curve is
referred to as Onset of Nucleate Boiling(ONB).As the bubbles detach from the heated
surface ,they form a column of bubbles moving towards the free surface of the liquid
.Line 2-3 is the knee of the boiling curve and represents a region of changing heat
transfer coefficient. When point 3 is reached, a sufficient number of nucleation sites
have been activated to establish fully developed nucleate boiling. The line 3-4
representing this region will once again be straight but its slope will be much greater
than in the convection region. This means that very large heat transfer rates are possible
with relatively small temperature driving forces. The characteristically high heat
transfer coefficient hb of nucleate boiling is obtained.
As heat flux is increased further, more nucleation sites are activated and a large
amount of vapor is formed on the heater surface .This causes the heat transfer
coefficient to decrease from point 4 to 5 .Point 4 is known as the departure from
nucleate boiling(DNB).
At some critical value of heat flux at point 5 a blanket of vapor is formed over
the entire surface of the heater and heat transfer rate is severely reduced .The vapor film
so formed is unstable; it forms, collapses and reforms repeatedly. Therefore region 5-6
is referred to as unstable film boiling. Point 6 is referred to as Leidenfrost point ,the hot
surface becomes covered with quiescent film of vapor, through which heat is transferred
by radiation due to very high temperature drops, resulting in increased values of heat
transfer coefficients. The region after point 6 is therefore one of Stable film boiling.
Experimental Apparatus
The Apparatus( Figure2) consists of vertical glass cylinder,G,in which water boils
.Inside the glass cylinder is placed the copper condensing coil C.At the bottom of G is
a copper bowl B heated electrically. Cooling water is circulated through the condenser
coil by means of a pump P. Waterflow control is achieved through valve V1.Rotameter
R1 gives an indication of water flow rate.
Thermocouple T1 measures the temperature in the heating pad T2 and T3
measures the liquid and vapor temperatures.T4 and T5 are thermocouples for measuring
cooling water inlet and outlet temperatures resp.Voltmeter V and ammeter A measures
the heater input voltage and current respectively.
Experimental Procedure
1. Fill the sample holding sump with sample of about 200ml (approx) through the feed
valve V2 provided on the top of the column(ensure that the drain valve provided at
the bottom is closed ).Close the feed valve after filling .
2. Ensure that the dimmer is OFF, thermocouple selector switch is at ZERO position
and the pump toggle switch is OFF.
3. Fill the sump S with water and connect external water supply to sump.
4. Open the by-pass valve V4 completely.
5. Open the valve V1 slightly to pass minimum flow through Rotameter R1.
6. Switch ON the toggle switch for pump and adjust valve V1 for water flow rate.
7. With slowly increasing the voltmeter and ammeter, record temperatures T1,T2, T3,T4
, and T5 until the liquid boils.
Observations
S.no Heating Liquid Vapor Cooling I V Ta
. pad temperatur temperatur water Amp volt Amb-
temperatur e e temperature s s ient
e inle outle Temp
t t .
T1 T2 T3 T4 T5
1 110 100 100 30 40 1.5 180 29

Calculations
Heat input , q = V * I* 0.86 Kcal/hr ( 1Watt = 0.86 Kcal/hr)
Heat Transfer area, A = Π D2 /4
Where,
D = Diameter of copper bowl = 100mm
Heat flux, q”= q/A Kcal/hr m2
ΔT = Difference between heating surface temperature and liquid temperature
ΔT = T1 - T2

Results and Discussion

1. Plot the graph of q”vs ΔT on the logarithmic coordinates.
2. Plot the graph of hb vs ΔT on the logarithmic coordinates.
3. Comment on the nature of graph obtained.