Visualization Study of Heat Transport Phenomenon in Supercritical Air near the Maxcondentherm Point

Abstract

This paper describes the results of a visualization study of the phase transition process and heat transport phenomenon in supercritical air near the maxcondentherm point. The phase transition from the vapor/liquid equilibrium state to the supercritical state is observed by the use of a shadowgraph technique. On the other hand, the heat transport phenomenon in supercritical air is investigated by the use of a laser holographic interferometer. The initial temperature gradient, which suppresses the generation of convection, is made in the experiment, and heat is applied in step functions from the planar heater. We can successfully observe the heat transport phenomenon in supercritical air, and the experimental results are compared with that of supercritical nitrogen, We report the difference of the heat transport phenomenon between the supercritical air and the supercritical nitrogen.