Free surface flow and heat transfer characteristics of liquid metal Galinstan at low flow velocity

An effective method of obtaining a stable free surface flow with liquid metals is very important in terms of ensuring reliability of nuclear fusion devices. In this work, a miniature experimental apparatus was built and the characteristics of liquid-metal free surface flow and laminar convective heat transfer on different surface structures were experimentally investigated. The results show that, within a certain velocity range, Galinstan can flow in the form of an even liquid film on an acid-pickled stainless-steel surface. As the Galinstan flow rate increases, the convective heat transfer coefficient increases. Finally, a heat transfer correlation of free surface flow was proposed for the liquid-metal Galinstan.