An experimental investigation of the effect of thermal coupling between parallel microchannels undergoing boiling on the Ledinegg instability-induced flow maldistribution

Two-phase flow boiling is susceptible to the Ledinegg instability, which can result in non-uniform distribution between parallel channels and thereby adversely impact heat transfer performance. This study experimentally assesses effect of thermal coupling microchannels on maldistribution caused by instability compares results our prior theoretical predictions. A system with two investigated using water as working fluid. The are hydrodynamically connected via common inlet/outlet plenums supplied a constant total rate. uniformly subjected same input power (which increased steps). Two separate configurations evaluated assess drastically different levels channels, namely thermally isolated coupled channels. Synchronized measurements rate each individual channel, wall temperature, pressure drop performed along visualization compare thermal-hydraulic characteristics these configurations. Thermal shown reduce temperature difference dampen maldistribution. Specifically, range over occurs noticeably smaller maximum severity reduced data provide quantitative account lateral moderating maldistribution, corroborated comparison predictions from two-phase model. combined experimental evidence demonstrates that, under extreme conditions when one channel significantly starved risks dryout, channel-to-channel redistribute load flow-starved excess flow. Due such possibility redistribution, less prone compared