The systematic analysis of the flow patterns, their transitions and thermal performance of a CLPHP was carried out.

The effect of the flow dynamics on the thermal performance of a CLPHP was assessed and presented as ‘operational maps’.

Local heat transfer coefficients were extracted by applying a mechanistic model for the evaporation in the CLPHP microchannels.

Heat transfer coefficients were used to qualitatively account for the heat transfer characteristics in the CLPHP evaporator U-turn.

Thin film evaporation is the dominant thermal mechanism, single-phase heat transfer and localized nucleate boiling are of secondary importance.