ETD

• Boiling
• CHF
• Electric Fields
• Nuclear Engineering
• Percolation

This thesis investigates boiling heat transfer in dielectric fluids, with particular attention
to the influence of heater size and electric fields on boiling dynamics and heat transfer
performance. An experimental apparatus was developed to study pool boiling of FC-72
under controlled thermodynamic conditions. First, a systematic analysis of boiling
behavior in the absence of electric fields was conducted using heaters of different sizes in
order to evaluate the role of surface dimensions on bubble dynamics, dry area formation,
CHF and overall heat transfer characteristics. Subsequently, the effects of externally
applied electric fields were examined to assess the EHD mechanisms that arise from the
interaction between electric stresses and phase-change processes. Advanced diagnostic
techniques, including high-speed phase detection imaging and infrared thermometry,
were employed to characterize vapor footprint dynamics and surface temperature distri-
butions. The findings improve the understanding of boiling heat transfer mechanisms relevant to modern thermal management systems such as Nuclear Reactors, Space Systems and Data Centers cooling.