Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a Sintered Copper-PTFE Hybrid Wick for Extreme Pool Boiling Enhancement

Le résumé fourni par la source

Enhancing boiling heat transfer at high heat flux is critical for advanced thermal management systems.In this study, a microscale bi-conductive porous surface with a hydrophilic/hydrophobic patterned structure was developed via a simple and costeffective combination of cold pressing and low-temperature sintering.The PTFE-Cu composite surface exhibits high porosity and strong capillary wickability, while discrete hydrophobic regions provide preferential nucleation sites.Pool boiling experiments demonstrate significant performance enhancement, with a maximum critical heat flux (CHF) of 2150 kW m⁻² and a heat transfer coefficient (HTC) enhancement of up to 630% compared with a plain surface.To further elucidate the underlying mechanisms, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted.Results show that the hydrophilic porous skeleton ensures continuous liquid supply through capillary-driven imbibition, whereas hydrophobic spots promote localized nucleation and efficient vapor venting.This synergistic effect mitigates vapor-liquid counterflow resistance and delays dry-out under high heat flux conditions.Overall, the combined experimental and simulation results reveal that the integration of capillary wicking and wettability patterning is key to achieving simultaneous CHF and HTC enhancement.The proposed surface provides a promising strategy for high-performance boiling heat transfer in next-generation thermal management applications.

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