Self-sustained biphasic catalytic particle turbulence

• Published in: Nature communications 2019-07, Vol.10 (1), p.3333-7, Article 3333
• Main Authors: Wang, Ziqi, Mathai, Varghese, Sun, Chao
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/4077; 639/766/189; Catalysis; Convection; Cooling; Engineering; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Heat exchangers; Heat transfer; Heat transport; Humanities and Social Sciences; Kinematics; Latent heat; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Temperature; Transport; Turbulence
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11221-w

Turbulence is known for its ability to vigorously mix fluid and transport heat. Despite over a century of research for enhancing heat transport, few have exceeded the inherent limits posed by turbulent-mixing. Here we have conceptualized a kind of “active particle” turbulence, which far exceeds the limits of classical thermal turbulence. By adding a minute concentration ( ϕ v  ∼ 1%) of a heavy liquid (hydrofluoroether) to a water-based turbulent convection system, a remarkably efficient biphasic dynamics is born, which supersedes turbulent heat transport by up to 500%. The system operates on a self-sustained dynamically equilibrated cycle of a “catalyst-like” species, and exploits several heat-carrier agents including pseudo-turbulence, latent heat and bidirectional wake capture. We find that the heat transfer enhancement is dominated by the kinematics of the active elements and their induced-agitation. The present finding opens the door towards the establishment of tunable, ultra-high efficiency heat transfer/mixing systems. Turbulent systems are particularly suitable for heat transport. Here the authors add active particles to a turbulent system, and the coupling of turbulent convection and the collective dynamics of active particles leads to a 500% enhancement in heat transfer compared to a standard turbulent heat exchanger.