From localized dryout to convective elongated vapor structures: Reynolds number effects on boiling transition in a rectangular mini-channel
Abstract
Three-dimensional conjugate simulations were conducted to investigate saturated flow boiling in a rectangular mini-channel, with particular emphasis on the role of inlet Reynolds number on boiling mode selection and transition. A C++ based open-source numerical framework was employed, incorporating a physically informed multi-site nucleation model by coupling a nucleation site density correlation with a Halton-sequence based spatial allocation strategy. Two distinct Re-dependent transition pathways were identified. At low Re, boiling transition is mainly associated with localized dryout development associated with upstream active boiling and progressive downstream liquid starvation. At high Re, the transition is characterized by convective stretching and reorganization of vapor structures, through which elongated vapor slugs evolve into localized vapor films and eventually approach full surface vapor coverage. The global heat transfer characteristics and peak heat transfer capacity are further interpreted in conjunction with boiling mode transition, clarifying the respective roles of wall dryout and volumetric vapor fraction in heat transfer deterioration. Among all cases, Re=2000 provides the most favorable overall thermal response. Overall, within the rectangular mini-channel configuration and operating range considered in this study, Re is closely associated with vapor organization, boiling transition, wall dryout, and global heat transfer performance.
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BibTeX
@misc{wang2026from,
title = {{From localized dryout to convective elongated vapor structures: Reynolds number effects on boiling transition in a rectangular mini-channel}},
author = {Qi Wang and Xin Wang and Mingze Wang and Yifei Guan and Kang Luo and Jian Wu and Wei Wang and Alberto T. Perez},
howpublished = {arXiv},
year = {2026},
month = aug,
doi = {10.48550/arxiv.2608.29240},
eprint = {2608.29240},
archivePrefix = {arXiv},
url = {https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.29240},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - From localized dryout to convective elongated vapor structures: Reynolds number effects on boiling transition in a rectangular mini-channel
AU - Qi Wang
AU - Xin Wang
AU - Mingze Wang
AU - Yifei Guan
AU - Kang Luo
AU - Jian Wu
AU - Wei Wang
AU - Alberto T. Perez
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/08/29
PB - arXiv
DO - 10.48550/arxiv.2608.29240
UR - https://arxiv.org/abs/2608.29240
AB - Three-dimensional conjugate simulations were conducted to investigate saturated flow boiling in a rectangular mini-channel, with particular emphasis on the role of inlet Reynolds number on boiling mode selection and transition. A C++ based open-source numerical framework was employed, incorporating a physically informed multi-site nucleation model by coupling a nucleation site density correlation with a Halton-sequence based spatial allocation strategy. Two distinct Re-dependent transition pathways were identified. At low Re, boiling transition is mainly associated with localized dryout development associated with upstream active boiling and progressive downstream liquid starvation. At high Re, the transition is characterized by convective stretching and reorganization of vapor structures, through which elongated vapor slugs evolve into localized vapor films and eventually approach full surface vapor coverage. The global heat transfer characteristics and peak heat transfer capacity are further interpreted in conjunction with boiling mode transition, clarifying the respective roles of wall dryout and volumetric vapor fraction in heat transfer deterioration. Among all cases, Re=2000 provides the most favorable overall thermal response. Overall, within the rectangular mini-channel configuration and operating range considered in this study, Re is closely associated with vapor organization, boiling transition, wall dryout, and global heat transfer performance.
ER -