An Empirical Correlation for Prediction of Critical Heat Flux of Flow Boiling in Microgravity

In the present study, the experimental data of the critical heat flux (CHF) of flow boiling in microgravity reported in literature was summarized. A database was established based on the flow boiling CHF experimental data in microgravity. Furthermore, the effects of flow velocity, heating surface length and channel cross-sectional size on the ratio of CHF of flow boiling in microgravity to that in normal gravity were dimensionlessly analyzed. An improved empirical correlation to predict the flow boiling CHF in microgravity was developed. The prediction results of the developed correlation were shown in good agreement with the experimental data within ±12%.