Applications of Self-Rewetting Fluids as a Working Fluid in Heat Transfer
Yoshiyuki Abe
The present paper introduces a series of studies concerning dilute alcoholic aqueous solutions with a particular surface tension behavior, on which the present author has been and will be conducting. First of all, anomalous behavior of the surface tension of some alcoholic aqueous solutions is briefly described. Pool boiling heat transfer characteristics of the alcoholic aqueous solutions are then described, though these results are still preliminary. Benefits of the alcoholic aqueous solutions as a working fluid in heat pipes are emphasized with the experimental results of wicked heat pipes with different size and different geometry. The advantage of ultra-light weight wickless heat pipe for space applications is also shown with low-gravity experimental results obtained by parabolic flights. Lastly, the present paper wraps up by introducing the future plans of the author and brand new topics on “nano self-rewetting fluids”.
Keywords: Mixtures, Aqueous solutions, Marangoni effect, Surface tension, Heat pipes, Nucleate boiling