Effect of gamma irradiation on the critical heat flux of nano-coated surfaces

An anodic electrophoretic deposition (EPD) technique is used to create a uniform TiO₂ thin film coating on boiling thin steel plates (1.1 mm by 90 mm). All of the effective parameters except time of the EPD method are kept constant. To investigate the effect of gamma irradiation on the critical heat flux (CHF), the test specimens were irradiated in a gamma cell to different doses ranging from 100 to 300 kGy, and then SEM and BET analysis were performed. For each coated specimen, the contact angle and capillary length were measured. The specimens were then tested in a boiling pool for CHF and boiling heat transfer coefficient. It was observed that irradiation significantly decreases the maximum pore diameter while it increases the porosity, pore surface area and pore volume. These surface modifications due to gamma irradiation increased the CHF of the nano-coated surfaces compared to that of the unirradiated surfaces. The heat transfer coefficient (HTC) of the nano-coated surfaces irradiated at 300 kGy increased from 83 to 160 kW/(m² K) at 885 kW/m² wall heat flux by 100%. The CHF of the irradiated (300 kGy) and unirradiated surfaces are 2035 kW/m² and 1583 kW/m², respectively, an increase of nearly 31%