Surface energy effect on boiling heat transfer

Boiling is a complex phenomenon and depends upon many factors like liquid properties, liquid pressure and temperature, temperature of the heating surface, orientation of the heating surface, surface chemistry, etc. Study of the effect of surface energy, one such factor, on boiling heat transfer is carried out and presented here. Data for various fluids viz. water, different types of alcohols and for various surfaces has been collected from the open literature and analysed with regard of effect of surface energy. The results of the investigations along with the recommendations have been presented in this paper. The investigations have shown that the increase in surface energy has resulted in increase in the heat transfer coefficient for distilled water, while the increase in surface energy has resulted in decrease in the heat transfer coefficient for alcohols. There is scarcity of relevant data available for further investigation and in this regard, need for benchmark data has been raised. Also need for establishment of a standard for comparison and analysis of different experimental results has been put forth.