Revisiting Nukiyama’s experiment to enhance understanding of boiling heat transfer

Pool boiling is a fundamental phenomenon in heat transfer and a critical aspect in many industrial processes, particularly in applications involving high power-to-size ratios. Consequently, it is a core topic in engineering heat transfer courses. Among the foundational contributions to its understanding, Nukiyama’s classical experiment remains a landmark, yet its didactic potential is still underexploited. Effective instruction on boiling phenomena benefits from combining physical insight with theoretical explanation, supported by learning modalities suited to the content. Classroom demonstrations are particularly effective in engaging students and overcoming conceptual barriers, while classical experiments add a historical perspective to learning. In this context, a novel experimental setup has been developed to replicate Nukiyama’s experiment and has been implemented in undergraduate heat transfer courses to support theoretical instruction and introduce practical engineering correlations. The device enables high-speed, real-time visualization of all boiling regimes and critical points under standard classroom conditions. The demonstration has proven highly effective in improving student performance, engagement, and perceived learning—highlighting the value of dynamic observation in bridging theoretical concepts with physical phenomena. This approach offers a valuable contribution to heat transfer education, combining historical experimental context with active learning strategies and multisensory feedback.