Guest Editor(s)
Dr. Hirofumi Arima
Email: arima@ioes.saga-u.ac.jp
Affiliation: Institute of Ocean Energy, Saga University, Saga, Japan
Homepage:
Research Interests: boiling, heat transfer, heat exchanger, OTEC
Summary
The global transition towards low-global-warming-potential (GWP) refrigerants is driving a rapid shift from conventional fluorocarbon-based working fluids to natural refrigerants in refrigeration, heat pump and Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) systems. Refrigerants such as carbon dioxide (R744), ammonia (R717), hydrocarbons (R290, R600a), water (R718) and air are increasingly recognised as environmentally sustainable alternatives capable of meeting stringent climate regulations while maintaining high energy efficiency.
The performance, reliability and economic viability of these thermal systems depend strongly on the boiling heat transfer characteristics of the working fluid within evaporators and other heat exchange components. Accurate prediction and enhancement of boiling heat transfer are therefore essential for improving system efficiency, reducing energy consumption and enabling the development of compact, high-performance heat exchangers. Advances in experimental techniques, numerical modelling and artificial intelligence are also opening new opportunities for understanding complex two-phase flow phenomena and optimising heat exchanger design.
This Special Issue aims to bring together the latest advances in the fundamental understanding, modelling and engineering applications of boiling heat transfer involving natural refrigerants. Contributions addressing experimental investigations, theoretical analyses, numerical simulations, data-driven approaches and industrial applications are all welcome. The Special Issue seeks to provide a forum for researchers and engineers working on innovative heat transfer technologies that support the development of sustainable cooling, heating and power generation systems.
Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:
· Forced and flow boiling heat transfer of natural refrigerants
· Pool boiling of natural refrigerants
· Two-phase flow and boiling instabilities
· Boiling heat transfer in mini- and micro-channels
· Heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics
· Development and validation of boiling heat transfer correlations
· Mechanistic and CFD modelling of boiling processes
· Multiphase numerical simulations and digital twins
· Surface engineering and passive or active enhancement techniques
· Structured, porous and coated heat transfer surfaces
· Heat transfer enhancement using nanoparticles and microparticles
· Additive manufacturing for advanced heat exchanger surfaces
· Optimisation of heat exchanger geometry and thermal performance
· High-speed visualisation and advanced diagnostics of boiling phenomena
· Machine learning and artificial intelligence for boiling heat transfer prediction
· Applications in heat pumps, refrigeration systems and Organic Rankine Cycles
· Performance assessment of low-GWP and natural refrigerants
· Compact and high-efficiency heat exchangers for sustainable energy systems
· Experimental methods and measurement techniques for two-phase heat transfer
This Special Issue welcomes original research papers, review articles and perspective papers that advance the understanding of boiling heat transfer and contribute to the development of next-generation thermal systems based on natural refrigerants.
Keywords
flow boiling, natural refrigerant, heat exchanger, heat transfer coefficient, flow visualization
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