Faculty Directory

Contact Information: 2045 ERF Phone: (312)996-2375 Fax: (312)413-0447 E-mail: Dfrance@uic.edu Laboratory: 1249 SEL Phone: (312) 996-3227

D.M. France
Professor, Emeritus

B.S., Mechanical Engineering
Washington University (1965)

M.S., Mechanical Engineering
Northwestern University (1966)

Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering
University of California at Berkeley (1969)

• UIC Teaching Recognition Program Award (1997)
• Academic Leadership Program (ALP) Fellow, Committee on Institutional Cooperation (CIC), (1995-1996)
• Outstanding Advisor Award, Tau Beta Pi Honor Society (1996)
• Outstanding Advisor Recognition, National Great Cities Competition (1996)
• Member Department of Energy, Expert Technical Review Team (1988)
• American Society of Mechanical Engineers-ASME (25 years)
• Member grade Am. Soc. Heating Refrigeration & Air Conditioning Engineers-ASHRAE
• Faculty advisor to UIC student ASHRAE chapter (1988-1995)
• Tau Beta Pi (Faculty advisor 1993- present)
• Pi Tau Sigma
• Sigma Xi

Selected Publications

Yoo, S.-J., France, D.M. and Tarshish, T.M., Post-CHF Swirl Flow Heat Transfer with Two Refrigerants and Water. AIAA J. Thermophysics and Heat Transfer, 1997, Vol. 11, pp. 189-195.

France, D.M., Minkowycz, W.J. and Chang, C., Analysis of Post-CHF Swirl Flow Heat Transfer. Int. J. Heat Mass Transfer, 1994, Vol. 37, Suppl. 1, pp. 31-40.

Papadopoulos, P, France, D.M., Minkowycz, W.J., Harty, J., Wu, M.S. and Hamoudeh, M.N., Two-Phase Dispersed Flow Heat Transfer Augmented by Twisted Tapes. J. of Enhanced Heat Transfer, 1994, Vol. 1, pp. 305-314.

Ragland, W.A., France, D.M. and Minkowycz, W.J., Two-Phase Flow at the Flooding Point in an Annulus. Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science, 1989, Vol. 2, pp. 7-16.

Knodel, B.D. and France, D.M., Pressure Drop in Ice-Water Slurries for Thermal Storage Application. Experimental Heat Transfer Journal, 1987-88, Vol. 1, pp. 265-275.

David M. France and Michael Petrick, U.S. Patent No. 3,633,665, "Heat Transfer Using Thermal Convection Tubes," March 1972.

L. Vazquez, D.M. France and K.M. Perkins, Not Just Another Science Fair, Scott Foresman, Glenview, IL, 1994.

Research Interests

Dr. France's research for the past 25 years has been in the area of heat transfer in fluids with a specialization to multi-phase fluids. His work has been both experimental and analytical with emphasis on the former. He has published extensively the results of his research in heat transfer to single-phase fluids, boiling and condensing two-phase flows, particle-gas flows, and ice-water slurry flows. Dr. France's research includes enhanced heat transfer where he has performed extensive studies over several years in the area of swirl flow enhancement especially for post-CHF flow boiling. He has been part of a collaborative research team pioneering work in the area of heat transfer; two-phase flows in small (1 mm) passages for application in compact heat exchangers. Additionally, his work has involved experimentation with high pressure (16 MPa, 2300 psi) steam-water flows with application to the electric power industry, large industrial boilers, and steam generators. He has performed experimental studies with liquid metals, refrigerants, suspensions of solid particles in gases, and ice-water slurries. Current studies in the Boiling Heat Transfer Laboratory at UIC include enhanced heat transfer to forced convective boiling of refrigerants flowing inside of tubes.

Laboratory

Boiling Heat Transfer Laboratory
1259 SEL, (312) 996-3227

Experimental, analytical and numerical research has been performed under Dr. France's direction for 14 years in the Boiling Heat Transfer Laboratory at UIC. The laboratory has supported many projects and small experimental facilities, and it has two permanent facilities for the study of single- and two-phase convection heat transfer. The Flow Boiling Facility (FBF) is used for the study of internal flow boiling of refrigerants in ducts with flows up to .15 l/s (~2.5 gpm), maximum pressure of 2.7 MPa (~400 psi), and maximum temperature of 177 oC (350 oF). Both vertical (up to 4 m in height) and horizontal test sections can be accommodated. Heat is supplied by either resistance heating from a 10 kW, regulated, DC power supply or by pressurized water up to 177 oC. These parameter ranges allow the simulation of other fluids (such as high pressure water) with refrigerants. All measurements are recorded on a Hewlett Packard computer controlled data acquisition system. Data are analyzed on one of several PC's in the laboratory or on work stations or a mainframe all of which are accessible from within the Boiling Heat Transfer Laboratory.

The second permanent experimental facility in the Laboratory is used for heat transfer studies to external flows. This facility delivers water flow up to 25 l/s (400 gpm) to a test vessel in which heated objects are placed. At high power densities, the water may boil as part of the studies as it flow over the heated objects.