Wetting layer evolution and interfacial heat transfer in water-air spray cooling process of hot metallic surface

Abstract

Spray cooling experiments on the hot metallic surfaces with different initial temperatures were performed. This paper adopts a self-developing program which is based on the inverse heat transfer algorithm to solve the interfacial heat transfer coefficient and heat flux. The temperature-dependent interfacial heat transfer mechanism of water-air spray cooling is explored according to the wetting layer evolution taken by a high-speed camera and the surface cooling curves attained by the inverse heat transfer algorithm. Film boiling, transition boiling, and nucleate boiling stages can be noticed during spray cooling process of hot metallic surface. When the cooled surface?s temperature drops to approximately 369?C - 424?C; the cooling process transfers into the transition boiling stage from the film boiling stage. The wetting regime begins to appear on the cooled surface, the interfacial heat transfer coefficient and heat flux begin to increase significantly. When the cooled surface?s temperature drops to approximately 217?C - 280?C, the cooling process transfers into the nucleate boiling stage. The cooled surface was covered by a liquid film, and the heat flux begins to decrease significantly.