Optical studies of boiling heat transfer: insights and limitations

Optical studies provide valuable insights into the complex mechanisms of boiling heat transfer but the large gradients of temperature (and therefore of refractive index) deflect light and multiple reflections at interfaces limit the distance over which observations can be made. Optical measurements are thought of as non-intrusive but this is rarely true. Because they are difficult and time consuming, they constrain the design of boiling experiments and are applied to limited ranges of conditions. There is a risk that deductions from the observations will be applied (not necessarily by the authors) more generally than is justified. These characteristics of optical studies are illustrated by examples from forced convective film boiling on spheres and pool nucleate boiling.