Electric field enhancement of pool boiling of dielectric fluids on pillar-structured surfaces: A lattice Boltzmann study

In this paper, by using a phase-change lattice Boltzmann (LB) model coupled with an electric field model, we numerically investigate the performance and enhancement mechanism of pool boiling of dielectric fluids on pillar-structured surfaces under an electric field. The numerical investigation reveals that applying an electric field causes both positive and negative influences on the pool boiling of dielectric fluids on pillar-structured surfaces. It is found that, under the action of an electric field, the electric force prevents the bubbles nucleated in the channels from crossing the edges of the pillar tops. On the one hand, such an effect results in the bubble coalescence in the channels and blocks the paths of liquid supply for the channels, which leads to the deterioration of pool boiling in the medium-superheat regime. On the other hand, it prevents the coalescence between the bubbles in the channels and those on the pillar tops, which suppresses the formation of a continuous vapor film and therefore delays the occurrence of boiling crisis. Meanwhile, the electric force can promote the departure of the bubbles on the pillar tops. Accordingly, the critical heat flux (CHF) can be improved. Based on the revealed mechanism, wettability-modified regions are applied to the pillar tops for further enhancing the boiling heat transfer. It is shown that the boiling performance on pillar-structured surfaces can be enhanced synergistically with the CHF being increased by imposing an electric field and the maximum heat transfer coefficient being improved by applying mixed wettability to the pillar-structured surfaces.