A Numerical Analysis on a Compact Heat Exchanger in Aluminum Foam

7th European Thermal-Sciences Conference

Buonomo, B.^1 ; Ercole, D.^1 ; Manca, O.^1 ; Nardini, S.^1

Dipartimenti di Ingegneria Industrial e dell'Informazione, Seconda Universitá degli Studi di Napoli, Via Roma 29, Aversa (CE)

81031, Italy^1

关键词: Compact heat exchanger;    Geometrical domain;    Governing equations;    Local heat transfer coefficient;    Local thermal non-equilibrium;    Numerical investigations;    Performance evaluation criteria;    Steady-state regime;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/745/3/032141/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/745/3/032141

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

A numerical investigation on a compact heat exchanger in aluminum foam is carried out. The governing equations in two-dimensional steady state regime are written in local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE). The geometrical domain under investigation is made up of a plate in aluminum foam with inside a single array of five circular tubes. The presence of the open-celled metal foam is modeled as a porous media by means of the Darcy-Forchheimer law. The foam has a porosity of 0.93 with 20 pores per inch and the LTNE assumption is used to simulate the heat transfer between metal foam and air. The compact heat exchanger at different air flow rates is studied with an assigned surface tube temperature. The results in terms of local heat transfer coefficient and Nusselt number on the external surface of the tubes are given. Moreover, local air temperature and velocity profiles in the smaller cross section, between two consecutive tubes, as a function of Reynolds number are showed. The performance evaluation criteria (PEC) is assessed in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the metal foam.