Electron beam irradiation effect on critical heat flux in downward-facing flow boiling

In previous research on nuclear reactors, the effect of irradiation on heat transfer has rarely been studied. We investigated the electron beam irradiation effect on downward-facing flow boiling heat transfer and critical heat flux. All the critical heat flux values in flow boiling decreased after irradiation, particularly at low doses, whereas heat transfer coefficient almost remained the same. Low dose electron beam irradiation substantially increased the nucleation sites on the heated copper surface, and the critical heat flux was inversely related to the nucleation site density in downward-facing flow boiling.