High-Heat-Flux Removal by Phase-Change Fluid and Particulate Flow

A new concept based on particulate flow in which either or both the particulates and the fluid could undergo phase changes is proposed. The presence of particulates provides not only a mechanism for additional heat removal through phase change but also the potential for increasing the rate of heat transfer by enhancing convection through surface region/bulk “mixing”; by enhancing radiation, particularly for high-temperature cases; and for the case of multiphase fluid, by enhancing the boiling process. One particularly interesting coolant system based on this concept is “subcooled boiling water-ice particulate” flow. A preliminary analysis of this coolant system is presented, the results of which indicate that such a coolant system is better applied for cooling of relatively small surface areas with high local heat fluxes, where a conventional cooling system would come short of providing the required heat removal at acceptable coolant pressure levels.