Some theories and applications of electric field enhanced boiling heat transfer

It has been observed that the application of an electric field to a boiling liquid can suppress the occurrence of film boiling and increase the boiling heat flux significantly. This dissertation discusses some of the theories and two possible industrial applications of this electric field enhanced boiling process.;The first part of this dissertation discusses some of the physics and possible mechanisms involved in this field enhanced boiling process. It is shown that many of the observed changes in boiling behavior in the presence of an electric field can be attributed to (i) the deformation of individual bubble shape in nucleate boiling, and (ii) the destabilization of the vapor-liquid interface in film boiling by the electric field.;The second chapter of this document describes how an electric field might be used to enhance the immersion boiling process for cooling microelectronic equipment. Finally, the third chapter discloses the procedures of an electric field enhanced steel quenching process. The experimental data suggest that this is a promising way to increase the effective hardenability of a steel in industrial quenching processes.