Characterization of local boiling trends, in addition to the typically reported area-averaged trends, is essential for the robust design and implementation of phase change technologies to sensitive heat transfer applications such as electronics cooling. Obtaining the values of heat fluxes corresponding to locally varying surface temperatures has been a challenge...
Characterization of local boiling trends, in addition to the typically reported area-averaged trends, is essential for the robust design and implementation of phase change technologies to sensitive heat transfer applications such as electronics cooling. This paper compares local and area-averaged boiling curves during a phase change process using non-intrusive quantitative...
The research presented in this thesis is a continuation of collaboration between Oregon State University and Auburn University studying the feasibility of passively pumping liquid during boiling in a preferential direction using meso-scaled asymmetric surface patterns. Such a passive phase-change mechanism has great potential for thermal management in spacecraft and...
Steam-methane reforming is a well understood industrial process used for generating hydrogen and synthesis gas. The reaction is generally carried out with residence times on the order of one second. By performing this reaction at microscales it is possible to take advantage of increased heat transfer rates and low diffusion...
This thesis presents a feasibility study of a means to passively effect liquid motion parallel to a heated surface though surface geometrical modifications. Such a passive system is beneficial for electronics cooling applications as it reduces the pumping equipment normally required in flow loops and is desired for space applications,...
The ever increasing requirements for heat dissipation in various thermal management applications such as computer chip cooling and high power electronics have necessitated the need for novel thermal management techniques. Thermal management using heat sinks with microscale features is amongst the prominent techniques developed over the past two decades. In...
A microchannel-based hemodialyzer offers a novel approach to hemodialysis practice and holds many promises for improving dialysis treatment efficiency and quality of life for kidney patients. The hollow fiber hemodialyzer, a conventional dialysis device, has certain limitations including non-uniformity of the dialysate flow path which necessitates the use of a...
A novel microscale combustor-heat exchanger (μCHX) for hydrogen storage applications is presented in this dissertation. The design of the μCHX is motivated by its application to two particular systems for automotive use- those that utilize metal hydrides (MH) and cryo-adsorbents (CA) to store hydrogen. Thermal energy needs to be supplied...
Technologies such as avionics and power electronics are driving the demand for thermal management schemes towards high heat fluxes and low surface temperatures. Typically, these applications require the dissipation of heat fluxes in the rage of 100-1000 W/cm² while maintaining surface temperatures lower than about 85 °C. Phase-change heat transfer...