Heat transfer enhancement in nucleate pool boiling using laser processed surfaces: Effect of laser wavelength and power variation

Abstract

Pool boiling heat transfer characteristics of multiscale functionalized copper surfaces, fabricated by employing nanosecond laser surface processing (NLSP) technique, are studied in the present experimental investigation. The laser (Nd:YAG) used in this study to fabricate surfaces produces laser light with wavelengths of 1064 nm, 355 nm and 532 nm with varying laser powers. Experiments are conducted at atmospheric pressure and saturated pool boiling condition. The enhancement in heat transfer coefficient of laser processed surfaces compared to reference smooth surface is found to be 93 %, 62 % and 52 % for wavelength of 1064 nm, 355 nm and 532 nm, respectively. The formation of microstructure on surface as a result of laser processing is seemed to be prime reason behind heat transfer enhancement. © 2020 Elsevier B.V.