Recent Studies on Boiling Heat Transfer in Microgravity Environment

Abstract

The main aspects of boiling heat transfer are exposed in the paper in view of its application in the field of space technology. The main results achieved in the experimental activity concerning boiling in microgravity, together with the areas in which further investigation and experimentation is need­ed, are reported in the work. A brief outline of future applications, already in the design phase, is given. An attempt is made to identify the main open problems in the field. Further experimental campaigns are expected to yield advances both in the understanding of the basic boiling mechanisms and in space heat transfer applications.