Stability of vapor film in subcooled film boiling on a horizontal wire

Linear stability analysis of a thin vapor film in subcooled film boiling on a horizontal cylinder was presented. The effects of liquid inertia, vapor viscosity and compressibility, and heat transfer were taken into account. Theoretical predictions of the heat transfer coefficient at the critical vapor film thickness was compared with experimental data at the minimum-heat-flux point that was obtained during the rapid quenching of thin horizontal wires in water and ethanol. At high liquid subcoolings, the measured value was about 63% of the theoretical predictions irrespective of the wire diameter and quenching liquid. This difference was considered to be due to the non-uniformity of vapor film thickness that was neglected in the theoretical analysis