View in EDS

The effect of thermal counterflow on superfluid helium forced flow.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: The effect of thermal counterflow on superfluid helium forced flow.
Authors: Li, Zirui1 (AUTHOR), Shao, Wei2 (AUTHOR), Cao, Qun1,2 (AUTHOR) qun.cao@iat.cn, Cui, Zheng2 (AUTHOR), Cheng, Lin1,2 (AUTHOR) cheng@sdu.edu.cn
Source: International Journal of Thermal Sciences. Sep2026, Vol. 227, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
Subjects: Counterflows (Fluid dynamics), Forced convection, Interfacial friction, Heat transfer, Fluid dynamics, Low temperature engineering, Computer simulation, Liquid helium
Abstract: Due to its extraordinary thermal transport properties derived from its two-fluid nature, superfluid helium (He II) is widely recognized as a critical coolant for high-heat-flux cryogenic applications. Traditionally, heat removal in He II relies on thermal counterflow, wherein the normal and superfluid components flow in opposite directions to transport heat. However, thermal counterflow encounters limitations under extreme thermal loads, including increased mutual friction and saturation of the heat transport capacity. To overcome these constraints, this study investigates the coupled effects of thermal counterflow and externally driven forced flow on heat transfer enhancement in He II. Numerical simulations are conducted using a validated two-fluid model within the OpenFOAM framework. The results show that forced flow significantly improves heat transfer efficiency compared to counterflow. The temperature rise attributed to more mutual friction heating is observed at higher flow velocities. The optimal velocity and minimum average temperature rise are 4 m/s and 1.85 mK for the simulated single-sided tube with 5 mm diameter and 500 mm length, corresponding to the Reynolds number in the 106 range. Additionally, the simulations further reveal that high velocity forced flow suppresses counterflow development, shifting the heat transfer regime from diffusion-dominated to forced flow cooling-dominated. Finally, temperature accumulation zones near inlets and heat sources are identified, resulting from the competition between counterflow and forced flow. • Study for coupled effect of thermal counterflow and forced flow is conducted. • Forced flow suppresses counterflow and reshapes the temperature distribution. • Localized thermal accumulation zones are identified near the inlet and heat source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of International Journal of Thermal Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
FullText Text:
  Availability: 0
Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 193660087
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: The effect of thermal counterflow on superfluid helium forced flow.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Li%2C+Zirui%22">Li, Zirui</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shao%2C+Wei%22">Shao, Wei</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cao%2C+Qun%22">Cao, Qun</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> qun.cao@iat.cn</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cui%2C+Zheng%22">Cui, Zheng</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cheng%2C+Lin%22">Cheng, Lin</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> cheng@sdu.edu.cn</i>
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22International+Journal+of+Thermal+Sciences%22">International Journal of Thermal Sciences</searchLink>. Sep2026, Vol. 227, pN.PAG-N.PAG. 1p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Counterflows+%28Fluid+dynamics%29%22">Counterflows (Fluid dynamics)</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Forced+convection%22">Forced convection</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Interfacial+friction%22">Interfacial friction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Heat+transfer%22">Heat transfer</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fluid+dynamics%22">Fluid dynamics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Low+temperature+engineering%22">Low temperature engineering</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+simulation%22">Computer simulation</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Liquid+helium%22">Liquid helium</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Due to its extraordinary thermal transport properties derived from its two-fluid nature, superfluid helium (He II) is widely recognized as a critical coolant for high-heat-flux cryogenic applications. Traditionally, heat removal in He II relies on thermal counterflow, wherein the normal and superfluid components flow in opposite directions to transport heat. However, thermal counterflow encounters limitations under extreme thermal loads, including increased mutual friction and saturation of the heat transport capacity. To overcome these constraints, this study investigates the coupled effects of thermal counterflow and externally driven forced flow on heat transfer enhancement in He II. Numerical simulations are conducted using a validated two-fluid model within the OpenFOAM framework. The results show that forced flow significantly improves heat transfer efficiency compared to counterflow. The temperature rise attributed to more mutual friction heating is observed at higher flow velocities. The optimal velocity and minimum average temperature rise are 4 m/s and 1.85 mK for the simulated single-sided tube with 5 mm diameter and 500 mm length, corresponding to the Reynolds number in the 106 range. Additionally, the simulations further reveal that high velocity forced flow suppresses counterflow development, shifting the heat transfer regime from diffusion-dominated to forced flow cooling-dominated. Finally, temperature accumulation zones near inlets and heat sources are identified, resulting from the competition between counterflow and forced flow. • Study for coupled effect of thermal counterflow and forced flow is conducted. • Forced flow suppresses counterflow and reshapes the temperature distribution. • Localized thermal accumulation zones are identified near the inlet and heat source. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of International Journal of Thermal Sciences is the property of Elsevier B.V. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=egs&AN=193660087
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2026.110938
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 1
        StartPage: N.PAG
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Counterflows (Fluid dynamics)
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Forced convection
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Interfacial friction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Heat transfer
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Fluid dynamics
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Low temperature engineering
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer simulation
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Liquid helium
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: The effect of thermal counterflow on superfluid helium forced flow.
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Li, Zirui
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Shao, Wei
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cao, Qun
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cui, Zheng
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Cheng, Lin
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 09
              Text: Sep2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 12900729
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 227
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: International Journal of Thermal Sciences
              Type: main
ResultId 1