Review of boiling heat transfer enhancement on micro/nanostructured surfaces

•A state of art of boiling heat transfer on micro/nano structured surface was introduced.•The technique of micro/nano structures fabrication was introduced.•The enhanced boiling heat transfer was reviewed by the physical mechanism.•The enhanced critical heat flux was reviewed by the physical mechanism and model.•The further research and new insight was proposed.

In the recent decades, the rapid growth of surface modification and fabrication technologies has facilitated the achievement of boiling heat transfer enhancement on micro/nanostructured surfaces. In this paper, several researches on the micro/nanostructured surfaces that have been designed to enhance boiling heat transfer are introduced and closely reviewed. Firstly, theoretical and experimental researches on nucleate boiling heat transfer (NBHT) and critical heat flux (CHF) are introduced in the outline. The fabrication techniques for achieving these engineered surfaces, which are technically classified into machining, coating, chemical process, and micro/nanoelectromechanical systems, are described in detail in the paper. Explanations and analysis of the results of boiling heat transfer enhancement tests are presented in view of NBHT and CHF. Finally, the special features of the existing surfaces capable of enhancing boiling heat transfer are summarized, and the need for future research is also presented.