DA-76-14-2 -- Boiling Augmentation with Structured Surfaces

Vaporization from a surface is the most effective thermal transport process. In the past decade, there has been considerable interest in "directing" this transport technique to specific locations to cool equipment. An example of this control process has been the heat pipe. This application, and a desire to further exploit the evaporation cooling process, have resulted in a substantial amount of research concerned with evaporation or boiling from porous media (wicks) covered or extended area surfaces. During these investigations the design information which is developed is:

1. the wall superheat vs. a function of heat flux, and
2. the critical heat flux

This paper explores the evaporation cooling process.