Phase Change in High-Density Confined Liquids for Thermal Management
Abstract
Task 1. Determine heat transfer properties of water when confined in SiO2 nanochannels with varying heights and widths using experiments and molecular dynamics simulations. Task 2. Thermal characterization and modeling of bubble formation in water confined in above nanochannels using experiments, molecular dynamics simulations and continuum simulations. Task 3. Conduct experiments of bubble formation in the nanochannels with dielectric coolants such as 3M???s Fluorinert liquids, as well as water-based solutions of glycols and alcoholsABSTRACTHeat flux removal of over 1000 Watts-per-centimeter square of area is required to develop the next generation of electronics and power conversion devices. Towards this goal, the proposed fundamental research aims to investigate phase change heat transfer in water-filled nanochannels of height between 5 nanometers to 100 microns, widths between 100 nanometers to 10 micronsand lengths up to 2 centimeters using experiments, molecular dynamics simulations and continuum simulations. As liquid molecular structure can be significantly altered in such confinement causing liquid to densify, higher energy is required to separate the liquid molecules for liquid-vapor phasechange.Thus, confined liquids can potentially be utilized to achieve high heat-flux removal from a heated surface. Towards this goal, the project aims to first quantify the average density of confined water as well its heat transfer properties of latent and specific heats using experiments and molecular simulations. Experiments will be conducted in the nanochannels to visualize andcharacterize the phase-change phenomena, and quantify heat flux removal. Confined water properties evaluated in this work will be used to simulate phase change in nanochannels using molecular and continuum simulations, and the results will be compared with experimental findings. The simulations can be used as predictive tools to optimize nanochannel dimensions in order to meet desired heat flux targets and surface temperature requirements. In addition to water, phase change heat transfer of dielectric coolants will also be experimentally studied in the nanochannels. Thus, these synergistic activities will provide a comprehensive fundamental understanding of phase change heat transfer in nanochannels, which can potentially be used to design high heat flux removal devices towards thermal management of electronics. The impact ofthis proposed research work include advancing thermal science and technology through the fundamental study of phase change heat transfer in nanochannels, enabling higher power density electronic systems associated with advanced Naval power systems by efficiently rejecting heat, and developing predictive heat transfer models of phase change in nanochannels which involves multiple length scales via atomic-scale and macro-scale simulations.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jul 10, 2018
- Source ID
- N000141812357
Entities
People
- Shalabh C Maroo
Organizations
- Office of Naval Research
- Syracuse University
- United States Navy