Investigation on the minimum film boiling temperature on metallic and ceramic heaters

The minimum film boiling temperature on ceramic and metallic heaters has been experimentally studied. The knowledge of this temperature boundary is important in safety considerations on all liquid cooled nuclear reactors. The experiments have been carried out by quenching a hot metal cylinder with and without ceramic coating of aluminium in water. Results show that the minimum film boiling temperature Tsub(min) increases with water subcooling and is dependend upon the thermophysical properties of the heating surface. The roughness of the heater does not affect Tsub(min). At low subcoolings the vapour film is more stable and seems to break down when the specific heatflux upon liquid solid contact is lower than a threshold value above which film boiling can be reestablished. At higher subcoolings instead the vapour film is thinner and more stable. In this case the surface temperature decreases beyond the value by which the specific heatflux upon liquid solid contact would be lower than the threshold value. As soon as the vapour film becomes unstable, it collapses. (orig.)