Boiling heat transfer of a novel environmentally friendly fluorinating coolant: from fundamental research to application
Authors:
- Shichao BuSBShichao Bu
- Zhuye JiangZJZhuye Jiang
- Mengfang NiuMNMengfang Niu
- Jijun ZengJZJijun Zeng
- Yonghai ZhangYonghai Zhang
- Zhiqiang YangZYZhiqiang Yang
- Xiaoping YangXYXiaoping Yang
- Jinjia WeiJWJinjia Wei
- Jian LuJLJian Lu
Preprint
- 14 February 2026
- preprint
- Published by Elsevier in SSRN Electronic Journal
Abstract
The rapid development of artificial intelligence pushed chip power density to unprecedented levels, making thermal management a critical bottleneck. Although boiling heat transfer offered efficient cooling, conventional enhancement methods exhibited clear limitations: surface modification technologies were approaching their physical and manufacturing limits at micro/nano scales, while external energy fields (such as acoustic, electric, or magnetic fields) increased system complexity and energy consumption. This study addressed the challenge through working fluid innovation and introduced MCLC-10—an environmentally friendly refrigerant characterized by a low global warming potential (≤10) and a near‑zero ozone depletion potential. A comprehensive comparison with the industry’s most widely used refrigerant, R1233zd(E), demonstrated MCLC-10’s superior performance advantages. On smooth surfaces, it improved the critical heat flux by 12–14% and enhanced the heat transfer coefficient by 32–36%. Under pressurized conditions with micro‑pin‑fin enhancement, it achieved a critical heat flux of 96 W·cm⁻² and a peak heat transfer coefficient of 13.56 W·cm⁻²·K⁻¹. In a three‑dimensional thermosyphon module, MCLC-10 stably sustained a heat dissipation power of 1200 W (thermal resistance: 0.068 K·W⁻¹) and withstood a heat flux of 128 W·cm⁻² (thermal resistance: 0.117 K·W⁻¹), outperforming R1233zd(E) across all key metrics. These results established MCLC-10 as a high‑performance, eco‑friendly alternative solution for next‑generation thermal management, providing both experimental evidence and design guidance for cooling high heat flux electronic devices.Keywords
This publication has 23 references indexed in Scilit:
- Enhancement of the heat transfer performance of a double-pipe heat exchangers in various configurations using Al₂O₃ nanofluid: A focused reviewJournal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2025
- An experimental investigation on the heat transfer characteristics of minichannel thermosyphon with multiports for cooling the modern miniaturized electronic devicesEnergy Conversion and Management, 2022
- Performance improvement of heat sink with vapor chamber base and heat pipeApplied Thermal Engineering, 2022
- Power-saving exploration for high-end ultra-slim laptop computers with miniature loop heat pipe cooling moduleApplied Energy, 2019
- Review of applications and developments of ultra-thin micro heat pipes for electronic coolingApplied Energy, 2018
- Enhanced boiling heat transfer on plain and featured surfaces using acoustic actuationInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2017
- Development of a two-step electrodeposition process for enhancing pool boilingInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2014
- Pool boiling enhancement through microporous coatings selectively electrodeposited on fin tops of open microchannelsInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2014
- A new mechanistic model for pool boiling CHF on horizontal surfacesInternational Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer, 2011
- Describing the uncertainties in experimental resultsExperimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 1988