M.E.S.

College of Engineering, Pune-411001

NAME OF STUDENT: KARAD OMKAR V. CLASS: TE B

SEMESTER/YEAR:5th ROLL NO: 69
DATE OF PERFORMANCE: DATE OF SUBMISSION:
EXAMINED BY: EXPERIMENT NO: 8

TITLE: Critical Heat Flux in Pool Boiling. (CO1, CO3)

AIM: Determination of critical heat flux of wire in pool boiling.

OBJECTIVES:

1. Observation of the boiling phenomenon.

2. Establish relation between Pool Temperature &Critical Heat Flux.
3. Study different regimes over pool boiling curve.

THEORY:

Boiling constitute the convective heat transfer process that involves a phase change from liquid
to vapour state. It occurs at the solid - liquid interface when a liquid is brought into contact with
a surface maintained at a temperature sufficiently above the saturation temperature of the liquid.

Classification of boiling:

1. Pool Boiling
2. Forced Convection or Flow Boiling
3. Sub-cooled or Local Boiling
4. Saturated Boiling

1) Pool Boiling:
Boiling is called pool boiling in the absence of bulk fluid flow. In this case the liquid above the
hot surface is essentially stagnant. Any motion of the fluid is due to natural convection currents
and the motion of the bubbles under then influence of buoyancy.

2) Forced Convection Boiling or Flow Boiling:

Boiling is called flow boiling in the presence of bulk fluid flow. In flow boiling, the fluid is
forced to move in a heated piper over a surface by external means such as a pump.

3) Sub-cooled or local Boiling

When the temperature of the liquid is below the saturation temperature, the bubbles are formed
in the vicinity of heat solid surface. These bubbles after traveling a short path get evaporated
which has temperature less than the boiling point. This is known as the sub-cooled or local
boiling.

Heat Transfer Page 1

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

SCHEMATIC SKETCH OF EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:

Heat Transfer Page 2

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

4) Saturated Boiling
When the temperature of the liquid is equal to the saturation temperature, the bubbles formed at
the solid surface are then propelled through the liquid by buoyancy effect & eventually escape
from a free surface. This is known as the saturated boiling.

POOL BOILING REGIMES:

When boiling occurs as the pool boiling there are various regimes of boiling associated with
progressive increasing in heat flux. These different regimes are as follows:

1) Natural Convection boiling:

In this region interface evaporation (evaporation process with no bubble formation) exists. Here
the excess temperature is very small i.e. (ΔT » 50C). The liquid near the surface get superheated
slightly, the convection currents circulate the liquid & evaporation takes place at the liquid
surface.

2) Nucleate boiling
With increase in ΔT (excess temperature) the formation of bubbles on the surface of the wire at
certain localized spots commences. The bubbles condense in the liquid without reaching the
liquid surface. With further increase in ΔT, the bubbles are formed more rapidly & rise to the
surface of the liquid resulting in rapid evaporation. The nucleate boiling is thus characterized by
formation of bubbles at the nucleation sites & the resulting liquid agitation. The bubble agitation
induces considerable fluid mixing & that promotes substantial increase in the heat flux. The
maximum heat flux is known as critical heat flux.

3) Film boiling
With further increase in ΔT the bubble formation is very rapid & the bubble blankets the heating
surface. Since thermal conductivity of vapour film is much less than those of the liquid, the heat
flux drops. Initially unstable film is formed & with further increase in ΔT the vapour film is
stabilized & the heating surface is completely covered by vapour blanket. At the end of stable
film boiling heat flux is lowest is called as Leidenfrost Point. With further increase in ΔT, stable
film maintains high temperature & sizable amount of heat is lost by surface due to radiation.

EXPERIMENTAL SETUP:
The apparatus consists of a cylindrical glass vessel in which distilled water is taken. On this
vessel a circular Bakelite plate is placed. On the Bakelite plate, one bulk heater and test heater is
fit. Bulk heater is used to heat up distill water to required temperature. The test heater consists of
two electrodes and a Nichrome wire is connected through them. Here we are testing Nichrome
wire for critical heat flux, so it is called as test heater. The bulk heater is connected to main
supply directly. The tester heater is connected to the supply through a dimmer stat, voltmeter and
an ammeter. A thermocouple is kept in the distill water to measure its temperature. An ammeter,
a voltmeter and a digital temperature indicator are provided on the control panel. Also main
heater switch, test heater switch and on/off are provided on the control panel. We can also
manually measure the temperature of the water using a thermometer as a hole is provided on the
Bakelite plate.

Heat Transfer Page 3

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

SPECIFICATIONS:

1. Heater rating for initial heating : 1 KW bulk heater

2. Diameter of Test heater (wire),D :39 gauge = 0.131 mm
3. Length of heater wire, L : 100 mm
4. Thermometer :0-200°C
5. Dimmer stat :0- 230V, 0-2 A
6. Voltmeter : 0-100 V
7. Ammeter : 0-10 A

PROCEDURE:

1. Take sufficient quantity of distill water in cylindrical glass vessel so that test heater is
completely submerged.
2. Switch on main supply.
3. Then switch on main heater and heat the distill water up to the required temperature.
4. Switch off the main heater.
5. Ensure that the dimmer stat is at zero value and then switch on the test heater.
6. Gradually increase the voltage supplied to the test heater by means of the dimmerstat till
the Nichrome wire burns off.
7. Right at the moment when the wire burns, takethe reading of voltage and ammeter.
8. To switch off the apparatus, first bring the dimmer stat to zero value position and then
switch off the test heater and the main supply.
9. Repeat the same procedure for further readings.

ASSUMPTIONS:

1. Fluid is in steady state condition.

2. Power factor, cos ∅ = 1.
PRECAUTIONS:

1. Connect the wire across the two electrodes equally tight every time.
2. Do not touch the apparatus after it is switched on.
3. Agitate the water carefully.

OBSERVATION TABLE:

Sr. No. Temperature of distill water or pool (°C) Voltage (V) Current (A)
1. 32 37.4 4.34
2. 42 36.3 4.16
3. 51 30.6 3.82
4. 62 29.5 3.54
5. 68 28.8 3.11

Heat Transfer Page 4

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

SAMPLE CALCULATIONS:

Heat Transfer Page 5

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

Heat Transfer Page 6

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

RESULT TABLE:

Sr. No. Temperature of distill water (°C) Critical Heat flux (kW/m2)
1. 32 3944.029579
2. 42 3699.262541
3. 51 2840.296123
4. 62 2537.488658
5. 68 2176.364877
GRAPH:
The pool boiling curve divided into three region:
I. Natural Convection Region
II. Nucleate Boiling Region
III. Film Boiling Region

Heat Transfer Page 7

 M.E.S. College of Engineering, Pune-411001

CONCLUSION: Temperature of distill water at 68°CCritical Heat flux is

2176.364877kW/m2

Heat Transfer Page 8