Heat Transfer Enhancement by Ultrasound Pressure Waves in Liquid Water: A Cooling Method for New Electronic Components

The objective of this work is to study the increase of the convective heat transfer coefficient in the presence of ultrasound waves and, in particular, to find a relationship between the ultrasonic power and the effective pressure of water. The tests have focused on the heat exchange by natural convection, in single-phase conditions, at atmospheric pressure, between a cylinder, heated by means of the Joule effect, and distilled water, with and without the action of ultrasonic waves. The variables involved in the heat exchange have been varied within the range allowed by the experimental apparatus and the convective heat transfer coefficient has been maximized. The specific thermal flow has been chosen in a range compatible with applications in the field of electronics. For the first time the pressure of water at various ultrasonic power levels has been measured, in the vicinity of the cylindrical surface, thanks to the collaboration with the Naval Experimentation and Support Center (CSSN) of the Italian Navy in La Spezia, Italy.