INVESTIGATION OF MACROLAYER THICKNESS IN NUCLEATE POOL BOILING AT HIGH HEAT-FLUX

The nucleate boiling at high heat flux is characterized by the existence of a liquid layer known as the macrolayer between the heating surface and the vapour mass. An analytical expression to predict the value of initial macrolayer thickness based on Helmholtz instability has been derived in terms of the thermophysical properties of the liquid and heat flux. The initial macrolayer thickness for different liquids has also been experimentally determined by the electrical resistance probe method. The predicted values have been compared with those obtained by experiment and a reasonably good agreement has been found.