Measurement of void fraction in flow boiling of ZnO–water nanofluids using image processing technique

•Void fraction during flow boiling of nanofluids measured using optical techniques.•Bubble behavior of nanofluids was investigated and compared with water.•Nanofluids showed lower void fraction as compared to water.•Void fraction decreases with increasing nanoparticle concentration and flow rate.•Void fraction increases with heat flux and axial location of heated length.

In recent years, nanofluids have been an active area of research in many engineering applications, especially for nuclear reactor safety systems due to their enhanced thermal properties as a coolant. In this study, experiments were performed in subcooled flow boiling of water and ZnO–water nanofluids with different nanoparticle concentrations (0.001–0.01 vol.%) in horizontal annulus at heat fluxes varying from 100 to 550 kW/m2 and flow rates from 0.1 to 0.175 lps at 1 bar inlet pressure and constant subcooling of 20 °C to determine the void fraction by image processing technique. Parametric effects of nanoparticle volume fraction, heat flux, flow rate and axial location of heater rod on void fraction were studied. Bubble images during flow boiling were captured with high speed visualization and analyzed by National Instruments IMAQ Vision Builder 6.1 image processing software. Results show that void fraction decreases up to 86% with the use of nanofluid in place of water and it also decreases with increasing nanoparticle concentration and flow rate, whereas increase in heat flux and axial location of heater rod have opposite effect.