Study of Vapor Contact Line Heat Transfer via Meniscus on Gold, Silicon and Copper Surfaces

The study of contact line heat transfer during boiling is of great importance in heat transfer mechanisms. With the rise in heat load in electronics cooling there is a limitation from conventional air and liquid cooling. The contact line of the departing bubble aligned with heater surface plays a greater significance due to the presence of solid, liquid & vapor interface or the triple interline region. The present study aimed to study heat transfer in various surface morphologies. Specimens with different surfaces tested are Copper, Silicon & Gold. The experimental theory, along with the results data, was also documented to support the difference in the results. The thermal conductivity of copper (401 W/m∙K) is higher than Gold (315 W/m∙K) and Silicon (148 W/m∙K), but the change in hydrophilicity and surface wettability changes the overall heat transfer. Experimental results reveal that the heat flux for Silicon was maximum i.e. 3800 W/m² followed by Gold (3700 W/m²) & Copper (3200 W/m²). The difference in the heat transfer was due the surface morphology, wettability & hydrophilic nature of the surface. The contact angle was also measured for different samples using Goniometer which supports that contact line increases due to hydrophilic nature of the surface which give rise to increase in contact line and enhances the heat transfer.