Experimental analysis on the hysteresis phenomenon during flow boiling heat transfer in a horizontal stainless-steel tube

This paper presents an experimental analysis on the hysteresis phenomenon occurring during flow boiling heat transfer in a horizontal stainless-steel tube having an internal diameter of 6.0 mm. Pure R134a is the working fluid employed, working at a saturation temperature and a vapor quality fixed to 40°C and 0.30, respectively, whereas two different mass velocities of 400 and 800 kg/m2s are studied. A dedicated experimental procedure has been carried-out to highlight the variation of the two-phase heat transfer performance due to the hysteresis effect. Specifically, tests performed at the same operating conditions but having a different thermal history (a higher imposed heat flux in the transient phase) were seen to provide lower wall superheat values and therefore higher heat transfer performances. The nucleate boiling contribution is isolated from the overall heat transfer and the parameters affecting the boiling curve behavior are highlighted and discussed, pointing out the differences when increasing and decreasing the imposed heat flux once a peak value is reached. The experimental trends are finally upheld by the boiling theory, considering the hysteresis effect as the activation of the surface cavities undergone a higher given thermal boundary condition.