Microscale Temperature Measurements at the Triple Line of an Evaporating Thin Film
Date of this Version
11-11-2007Abstract
Thin-film evaporation from a meniscus in a confined space, which is the basis for many two-phase cooling devices, is experimentally investigated. The meniscus formed by heptane, a highly wetting liquid, on a heated, fused quartz substrate is studied. Microscale infrared temperature measurements performed near the thin-film region of the evaporating meniscus reveal the temperature suppression caused by the intensive evaporation in this region. The high spatial resolution (∼6.3 μm) and high temperature sensitivity (∼20 mK) of the infrared camera allowed for accurate measurements. The effects of meniscus thickness and applied heat flux on the thin-film heat transfer distribution and rate are also explored.
Discipline(s)
Nanoscience and Nanotechnology