Impact of Residual Surfactant Concentration on Boiling in Capillary Slit Channels

Abstract

The article presents the results of experimental studies of water boiling in dead-end capillary slit channels. The main focus is on analyzing the influence of two key factors: the geometry of the heat transfer surface and the presence of residual concentrations of surfactants. An experimental setup was developed to investigate heat transfer processes on complex-geometry surfaces over a wide range of thermal loads. Cells with different fin spacing (1.5, and 1 mm), made of aluminum and steel, were examined. It was found that reducing the interfin gap and using a material with a high heat transfer coefficient yields the most effective results. For industrial applications, the use of materials resistant to aggressive environments (such as St45KHN steel, due to its greater chemical resistance and lower susceptibility to rapid boiling crisis) is recommended. It was shown that the presence of residual surfactants and contaminants significantly reduces the heat transfer coefficient. An indirect method based on measuring the contact angle was used to quantitatively assess their influence, and a relationship between the contact angle and the residual surfactant concentration on the surface was established. The research results demonstrate the effect of residual surfactant concentration on boiling heat transfer. The established relationship between the contact angle and surfactant concentration enables diagnostics of the surface condition. To maintain high efficiency of heat exchange equipment, this factor must be taken into account during equipment design, including the design of heating surfaces

Please cite this article in English as:

Chugaev E.A., Korneev S.D., Maryushin L.A., et al. Impact of residual surfactant concentration on boiling in capillary slit channels. Herald of the Bauman Moscow State Technical University, Series Natural Sciences, 2026, no. 4 (127), pp. 21--36 (in Russ.). EDN: PKDRTR

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