Some Experiments in Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer

Citation

Gates, Chester Wright (1954) Some Experiments in Nucleate Boiling Heat Transfer. Engineer's thesis, California Institute of Technology. doi:10.7907/Y7A3-1P44. https://resolver.caltech.edu/CaltechETD:etd-12022003-165828

Abstract

The present series of experiments was designed to provide additional information on the mechanism of bubble formation in boiling liquids. In particular, knowing that a pre-pressurization treatment raises the boiling temperature of a body of water markedly, it was desired to determine the effect of such treatment on boiling from a metal heating surface immersed in the water. A 0.010" nichrome wire was immersed in a vessel of water, the entire assembly having been cleaned, and subjected to a pressure of 15000 psi for periods of time in excess of 15 minutes. The pressure was reduced to atmospheric and the wire heated to burnout by electric current. It was concluded that the effect of the treatment on the maximum heat transfer was small and equivalent to degassing the water. A second series of experiments was conducted in which the temperature of the wire at the onset of boiling in pre-pressurized water was measured. These experiments indicated that the wire reached a temperature considerably in excess of normal nucleation temperatures, dropping to normal at the instant of nucleation. This effect could be explained in terms of the theory which postulates bubble formation from pre-existing gas or vapor nuclei.

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