Controlling Porous Media Growth to Improve Heat Transfer

The buildup of CRUD deposits in light water reactors echoes similar problems throughout fields of heat transfer, namely those of fouling. Fouling is essentially unwanted deposition, and is sometimes not preventable. However, it may be possible to control the way in which fouling deposits like CRUD form. We are using micro-surface texturing to induce CRUD to grow with a fixed, regular spacing of vapor chimneys, which will help to keep the underlying surface cool. Surface texturing will include lithography to produce cavities, as well as collaborations to create microposts and change the hydrophobicity of the substrate surface.