Comparative study on different additives with a jet array on cooling of a hot steel surface

•Cooling efficiency of jet array is studied over single free falling jet.•Experiments are conducted from an initial plate temperature of >900 °C.•Comparative study done with surfactants, polymer and nanofluids.•Highest cooling rate of 143 °C/s is achieved for PVP based coolant.•This enhanced cooling can be beneficial for the production of improved quality steel.