Modeling of Nanoporous Membranes for High Flux Thin Film Evaporation Conference Paper uri icon

abstract

  • Thin film evaporation promises high heat flux thermal management solutions for next generation high performance electronics. In particular, we are investigating the use of nanoporous membranes to enable thin film evaporation. However, a fundamental understanding of heat and mass transfer during evaporation at the liquid-vapor interface confined within the nanopores is essential to realize such a concept. In this study, we developed a detailed computational model that captures evaporation from cylindrical nanopores where a meniscus is pinned at the outlet of the nanopores. We solved the laminar flow and heat transfer problem in the liquid phase using finite element methods, established a second-order differential equation to determine the meniscus shape and investigated vapor transport incorporating the recondensation inside the pore and the non-equilibrium effects due to the bulk vapor flow. We obtained the interfacial heat flux as a function of both the local temperature and the liquid pressure at the inlet of the pore. This work elucidates the underlying physics of thin film evaporation in nanoporous membranes, which facilitates the design of high flux thermal management devices.

name of conference

  • Proceedings of the 15th International Heat Transfer Conference

published proceedings

  • International Heat Transfer Conference 16

author list (cited authors)

  • Lu, Z., Narayanan, S., Hanks, D., Raj, R., Xiao, R., Antao, D. S., & Wang, E. N.

citation count

  • 0

complete list of authors

  • Lu, Zhengmao||Narayanan, Shankar||Hanks, Daniel||Raj, Rishi||Xiao, Rong||Antao, Dion S||Wang, Evelyn N

publication date

  • January 2014