Introduction

This special issue of JEHT contains papers on enhanced heat transfer that were presented at the Second International Thermal Science Seminar (ITSS II), held in Bled, Slovenia, June 13−16, 2004. Out of the 128 papers accepted for the Seminar, 16 were concerned with enhancement. Based on the initial review of manuscripts, and subsequent evaluation, 6 of these papers were chosen for this issue. Each paper was revised in accordance with reviewers' comments. These papers cover a broad range of enhancement technology; in the order of presentation: fluid additives for single-phase flow of water (nanofluids), compound enhancement (rough surfaces and swirl flow) for single-phase water, combined electric and magnetic fields applied to melting, structured surfaces in pool boiling of a fluorocarbon, doubly enhanced tubes in bundle boiling of ammonia, and fluid additives (surfactants) for subcooled pool boiling of water. The papers thus cover single phase and phase change, passive and active techniques, and a variety of geometries. Noting that about 40 meetings on thermal sciences are scheduled worldwide each year, it is reasonable to ask why still another one was introduced (2000), and reintroduced (2004), into the crowded schedule. In response, the success of both ITSSs offers ample justification. ITSS II was even bigger than the first Seminar, with 128 papers compared to 80 and 36 counties compared to 30. The interest was especially keen from former East Bloc countries — the former Soviet Union and the Former Yugoslavia. Thermal science is clearly not finished as a discipline, as has been claimed in certain quarters. ITSS II came at a historic moment for Slovenia, with May 1, 2004 membership in the European Union (EU). The expansion of the EU to 25 members has had great implications for the politics and economy of Slovenia. But this is also having an important effect on science and technology. ITSS II brought together representatives of most of the old and new members of the EU as well as many other countries. I feel that the result is a strengthening of science and technology, not only in the EU but throughout the world. The long-term prospects for EU science and technology are not good, however. It was announced in January 2006 that the EU will cut its spending on research by 46% between 2007 and 2013. I would like to thank my co-organizers of ITSS II for their assistance with the Seminar program, which led to the papers in this special issue: Dean Cristina H. Amon, University of Toronto; Prof. Adrian Bejan, Duke University; and Prof. Iztok Golobic, University of Ljubljana. Thanks are mainly due to the authors who cheerfully complied with the many requirements of electronic publishing.

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