STTR Phase I: Experimentally Validated Simulation Tool for Two-Phase Microscale Flows

This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will develop a two-phase cooling system analysis tool based on a two-phase gas-kinetic BGK-Burnett solver. Different from the macroscopic Burnett approach, the gas-kinetic BGK-Burnett solver is unconditionally stable for all Knudsen numbers. Whereas it is almost impossible to correctly set up the boundary condition for the Burnett equations, this can be easily done in the BGK-Burnett solver with the Maxwell boundary condition, re-emitting the particles from the boundary according to the accommodation coefficient. This project will simulate two-phase micro-channel flows; two-phase flow and flow boiling of pure fluids in micro-channels will be used to examine the capabilities and limitations of the proposed methodology. The broader impact/commercial potential of this technology would be the ability to simulate the flows in ultra-compact heat exchangers, miniature and micro pumps, miniature compressors, micro-turbines, micro thermal systems for distributed power production, etc.