Pool boiling is postulated as a single-phase heat transfer process with nucleating bubbles providing a liquid pumping mechanism over the heater surface. This results in three fluid streams at the heater surface—outgoing vapor and liquid streams, and an incoming liquid stream. Heat transfer during periodic replacement of the liquid in the influence region around a nucleating bubble is well described by transient conduction (TC) and microconvection (MiC) mechanisms. Beyond this region, free convection (FC) or macroconvection (MaC) contributes to heating of the liquid. A bubble growing on the heater surface derives its latent heat from the surrounding superheated liquid and from the microlayer providing a direct heat conduction path. Secondary evaporation occurs in the bubbles rising in the bulk after departure, and at the free surface. This secondary evaporation does not directly contribute to the heat transfer at the heater surface but provides a means of dissipating liquid superheat. A sonic limit-based model is then presented for estimating the theoretical upper limit for pool boiling heat transfer by considering the three fluid streams to approach their respective sonic velocities. Maximum heat transfer rates are also estimated using this model with two realistic velocities of 1 and 5 m/s for the individual streams and are found to be in general agreement with available experimental results. It is postulated that small bubbles departing at high velocity along with high liquid stream velocities are beneficial for heat transfer. Based on these concepts, future research directions for enhancing pool boiling heat transfer are presented.
