Rewetting of an infinite slab with uniform heating under quasi-steady conditions

Abstract

The two-dimensional quasi-steady conduction equation governing conduction controlled rewetting of an infinite slab, with one side flooded and the other side subjected to a constant heat flux, has been solved by Wiener-Hopf technique. The solution yields the quench front temperature as a function of various model parameters such as Peclet number, Biot number and dimensionless heat flux. Also, the critical (dryout) heat flux is obtained by setting the Peclet number equal to zero, which gives the minimum heat flux required to prevent the hot surface being rewetted.