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1 – 10 of over 41000Shahzada Zaman Shuja and Bekir Yilbas
The heat transfer rates from the body to the working fluid can be improved through altering geometric configurations of the body and its arrangement in the flow system. One of the…
Abstract
Purpose
The heat transfer rates from the body to the working fluid can be improved through altering geometric configurations of the body and its arrangement in the flow system. One of the arrangements for this purpose is to locate the body at the channel inlet while the convection current opposes it. Since the flow field in the channel inlet influences the heat transfer rates, changing the aspect ratio and inclination of the body is expected to modify the flow field while enhancing the heat transfer rates. Consequently, investigation into the influence of the aspect ratios and tilting angles of the body on the heat transfer rates in the channel flow becomes essential. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
Numerical simulation of flow in a channel with the presence of solid block is carried out. The block aspect ratio is changed while keeping the area of the block constant for all aspect ratios. The tilting angle is also incorporated analysis to examine its effect on the Nusselt number.
Findings
The throttling effect of the block at channel inlet accelerates the flow between the channel wall and the block faces. This, in turn modifies the thermal boundary layer around the block. In this case, heat transfer rates increase considerably at the block faces where the flow acceleration suppresses the thermal boundary layer thickness. This is more pronounced for large block tilting angles. The Nusselt number attains low values for the block face opposing to the flow at the channel inlet and the back face of the block. This is attributed to the mixing of the thermal current emanating from the side faces of the block in the region close to the back surface. In this case, thermal boundary layer thickens and the heat transfer rates from the block reduce significantly. The Nusselt number improves with reducing the block aspect ratio, which is particularly true along the side faces of the block. In addition, the influence of the block tilting angle on the Nusselt number is considerable for the low block aspect ratios.
Research limitations/implications
The model study is validated with the previous studies for the drag coefficient. The study covers all the aspects of the flow situations and discusses the resulting fluid field and the heat transfer rates from the block.
Practical implications
It is an interesting work for cooling applications. The block aspect ratio and its tilting angle in the channel influence considerably the flow field and the Nusselt number variation around the block faces.
Social implications
The cooling technology may be improved through implementing the findings of the current work.
Originality/value
It is an original work and it has never been submitted to other journals.
Details
Keywords
Esam M. Alawadhi and Raed I. Bourisliy
This paper presents the heat transfer enhancement from discrete heat sources using a wavy channel.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper presents the heat transfer enhancement from discrete heat sources using a wavy channel.
Design/methodology/approach
The finite element method is utilized to solve the hydrodynamic/thermal problem. The considered geometry consists of a channel formed by two wavy plates with six discrete heat sources placed on upper and lower walls. The global objective is to maximize the heat transfer from the heat sources. The wavy channel enhances heat transfer from the heat sources through the modification of the flow pattern in the channel. The effects of the Reynolds number, Prandtl number, waviness of the wavy wall, and the location of the heat sources on the thermal characteristics of the flow are investigated.
Findings
Results indicate that the wavy channel significantly enhances the heat flow out of the heat sources, with heat sources located at the minimum channel cross sections having the best performance. The Nusselt number increases with an increase in Reynolds number and waviness of the wavy channel. The higher Prandtl number has a positive effect on the heat flow out of the heat sources. The heat transfer enhancement can reaches as high as 120 percent for high Reynolds numbers and waviness of the channel.
Originality/value
The combination of wavy plates and optimum placement of heat sources can lead to better, less expensive thermal management of heat sources in electronic devices.
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Keywords
Jinbei Tian, Mohammed S. Ismail, Derek Ingham, Kevin J. Hughes, Lin Ma and Mohamed Pourkashanian
This paper aims to investigate the impact of three different flow channel cross sections on the performance of the fuel cell.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the impact of three different flow channel cross sections on the performance of the fuel cell.
Design/methodology/approach
A comprehensive three-dimensional polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell model has been developed, and a set of conservation equations has been solved. The flow is assumed to be steady, fully developed, laminar and isothermal. The investigated cross sections are the commonly used square cross section, the increasingly used trapezoidal cross section and a novel hybrid configuration where the cross section is square at the inlet and trapezoidal at the outlet.
Findings
The results show that a slight gain is obtained when using the hybrid configuration and this is because of increased velocity, which improves the supply of the reactant gases to the catalyst layers (CLs) and removes heat and excess water more effectively compared to other configurations. Further, the reduction of the outlet height of the hybrid configuration leads to even better fuel cell performance and this is again because of increased velocity in the flow channel.
Research limitations/implications
The data generated in this study will be highly valuable to engineers interested in studying the effect of fluid cross -sectional shape on fuel cell performance.
Originality/value
This study proposes a novel flow field with a variable cross section. This design can supply a higher amount of reactant gases to the CLs, dissipates heat and remove excess water more effectively.
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Keywords
Sara Armou, Mustapha Ait Hssain, Soufiane Nouari, Rachid Mir and Kaoutar Zine-Dine
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of varying baffle height and spacing distance on heat transfer and cooling performance of electronic components in a baffled…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of varying baffle height and spacing distance on heat transfer and cooling performance of electronic components in a baffled horizontal channel, using a Cu-H2O nanofluid under mixed convection and laminar flow.
Design/methodology/approach
The mathematical model is two-dimensional and comprises a system of four governing equations, such as the conservation of continuity, momentum and energy. To obtain numerical solutions for these equations, the finite volume method was used for discretization. A validation process was performed by comparing this study’s results with those of previously published studies. The comparison revealed a close agreement. The numerical study was performed for a wide range of key parameters: The baffle height (0 ≤ h ≤ 0.7), the spacing distance between baffle and blocks (0.25 ≤ w ≤ 3), the Grashof and Reynolds numbers are kept equal to 104 and 75, respectively, the channel aspect ratio is L/H = 10, and the volume fraction of Cu nanoparticles is fixed at φ = 5%.
Findings
The results of the study reveal a significant improvement in heat transfer in terms of total Nusselt number of the top and bottom hot components, which exhibited an improvement of 16.89% and 17.23% when the baffle height increases from h = 0 to h = 0.7. Additionally, the study found that reducing the distance between the baffle and the electronic components up to a certain limit can improve the heat transfer rate. Therefore, the optimal height of the baffle was found to be no lower than 0.6, and the recommended distance between the heaters and the baffle was 0.5.
Originality/value
This study provides valuable insights into the optimization of the design of baffled channels for improved heat transfer performance. The findings of study can be used to improve heat exchangers and cooling systems in various applications. The use of Cu-H2O nanofluid under mixed convection and laminar flow conditions in channel with baffle and electronic components is also unique, making this study an original contribution to the field.
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Karthikeyan Paramanandam, Venkatachalapathy S. and Balamurugan Srinivasan
The purpose of this paper is to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics of microchannel heatsinks with ribs, cavities and secondary channels. The influence of length and…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics of microchannel heatsinks with ribs, cavities and secondary channels. The influence of length and width of the ribs on heat transfer enhancement, secondary flows, flow distribution and temperature distribution are examined at different Reynolds numbers. The effectiveness of each heatsink is evaluated using the performance factor.
Design/methodology/approach
A three-dimensional solid-fluid conjugate heat transfer numerical model is used to study the flow and heat transfer characteristics in microchannels. One symmetrical channel is adopted for the simulation to reduce the computational cost and time. Flow inside the channels is assumed to be single-phase and laminar. The governing equations are solved using finite volume method.
Findings
The numerical results are analyzed in terms of average Nusselt number ratio, average base temperature, friction factor ratio, pressure variation inside the channel, temperature distribution, velocity distribution inside the channel, mass flow rate distribution inside the secondary channels and performance factor of each microchannels. Results indicate that impact of rib width is higher in enhancing the heat transfer when compared with its length but with a penalty on the pressure drop. The combined effects of secondary channels, ribs and cavities helps to lower the temperature of the microchannel heat sink and enhances the heat transfer rate.
Practical implications
The fabrication of microchannels are complex, but recent advancements in the additive manufacturing techniques makes the fabrication of the design considered in this numerical study feasible.
Originality/value
The proposed microchannel heatsink can be used in practical applications to reduce the thermal resistance, and it augments the heat transfer rate when compared with the baseline design.
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Keywords
Younes Menni, Ahmed Azzi, Ali J. Chamkha and Souad Harmand
The purpose of this paper is to carry out a numerical study on the dynamic and thermal behavior of a fluid with a constant property and flowing turbulently through a…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to carry out a numerical study on the dynamic and thermal behavior of a fluid with a constant property and flowing turbulently through a two-dimensional horizontal rectangular channel. The upper surface was put in a constant temperature condition, while the lower one was thermally insulated. Two transverse, solid-type obstacles, having different shapes, i.e. flat rectangular and V-shaped, were inserted into the channel and fixed to the top and bottom walls of the channel, in a periodically staggered manner to force vortices to improve the mixing, and consequently the heat transfer. The flat rectangular obstacle was put in the first position and was placed on the hot top wall of the channel. However, the second V-shaped obstacle was placed on the insulated bottom wall, at an attack angle of 45°; its position was varied to find the optimum configuration for optimal heat transfer.
Design/methodology/approach
The fluid is considered Newtonian, incompressible with constant properties. The Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes equations, along with the standard k-epsilon turbulence model and the energy equation, are used to control the channel flow model. The finite volume method is used to integrate all the equations in two-dimensions; the commercial CFD software FLUENT along with the SIMPLE-algorithm is used for pressure-velocity coupling. Various values of the Reynolds number and obstacle spacing were selected to perform the numerical runs, using air as the working medium.
Findings
The channel containing the flat fin and the 45° V-shaped baffle with a large Reynolds number gave higher heat transfer and friction loss than the one with a smaller Reynolds number. Also, short separation distances between obstacles provided higher values of the ratios Nu/Nu0 and f/f0 and a larger thermal enhancement factor (TEF) than do larger distances.
Originality/value
This is an original work, as it uses a novel method for the improvement of heat transfer in completely new flow geometry.
Details
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J.J. Hwang, T.Y. Lia and S.H. Chen
Turbulent fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics are analyzed numerically for fluids flowing through a rotating periodical two‐pass square channel. The smooth walls of this…
Abstract
Turbulent fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics are analyzed numerically for fluids flowing through a rotating periodical two‐pass square channel. The smooth walls of this two‐pass channel are subject to a constant heat flux. A two‐equation k‐ε turbulence model with modified terms for Coriolis and rotational buoyancy is employed to resolve this elliptic problem. The duct through‐flow rate and rotating speed are fixed constantly; while the wall heat flux into the fluid is varied to examine the rotating buoyancy effect on the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics. It is disclosed that the changes in local heat transfer due to the rotational buoyancy in the radially outward flow are more significant than those in the radially inward flow. However, the channel averaged heat transfer is altered slightly due to the rotational buoyancy in the both ducts. Whenever the buoyancy effects are sufficiently strong, the flow reversal appears over the leading face of the radially outward‐flow channel, and the radial distance for initiation of flow separation decreases with increasing the buoyancy parameter. A comparison of the present numerical results with the available experimental data by taking buoyancy into consideration is also presented.
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Shanglong Xu, Dichen Li, Bingheng Lu, Yiping Tang, Chaofeng Wang and Zhen Wang
The purpose of this paper is to adopt rapid prototyping (RP) technology to fabricate self‐hardening calcium phosphate composite (CPC) scaffolds with a controlled internal channel…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to adopt rapid prototyping (RP) technology to fabricate self‐hardening calcium phosphate composite (CPC) scaffolds with a controlled internal channel network to facilitate nutrient supplying and cell growth using RP technique and investigate their in vitro performance.
Design/methodology/approach
Porous scaffolds should possess branched channels to ensure uniform cell feeding and even flow of culture medium to promote uniform cell attachment and growth. A new three dimensional (3D) flow channel structure has been designed based on conversation of energy and flow. The CPC scaffold possessing such a channel network was made by indirect solid free form fabrication. Negative model of scaffold was designed by Pro/E software and its epoxy resin mold was fabricated on a sterolithography apparatus and the CPC slurry was filled in these molds. After CPC was self hardened, the mold was baked. The mold was removed by pyrolysis and then the designed scaffold was obtained.
Findings
The sizes of the fabricated scaffolds were consistent with the designed. The average compressive strength of the scaffold is approximately 6.0 MPa. Computational fluid dynamics and perfusion culture results showed that such a 3D flow channel arrangement would lead to a more uniform distribution of flow and cells and good transportation of nutrients.
Research limitations/implications
The size errors of fabricated scaffolds could not escape and perfusion methods were difficult to control.
Originality/value
The basic design concept presented showed great promise for use in bone tissue engineering and fabrication method enhanced the versatility of scaffold fabrication. The designed scaffold structure made it possible to keep integrality of the scaffold when direct observation cells inside the channel by scanning electron microscopy (SEM).
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Weifeng Wu, Jian Li, Ting Li, Quanke Feng and Xiaoling Yu
The purpose of this paper is to find a solution of laminar liquid flow in asymmetric narrow channels. In many cases, an intuitive solution is much more useful and necessary for…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find a solution of laminar liquid flow in asymmetric narrow channels. In many cases, an intuitive solution is much more useful and necessary for engineering applications, although numerical solutions can be obtained.
Design/methodology/approach
The Navier‐Stokes equations of laminar liquid flow in asymmetric narrow channels are simplified based on geometric characteristics of narrow channels, physical characteristics of liquid and boundary conditions. The simplified Navier‐Stokes equations are solved theoretically. Verification of the obtained results is carried out based on comparing with the Jeffery‐Hamel flow, which is an exact solution of liquid flow in convergent or divergent channels proposed by Jeffery.
Findings
This paper proposed an intuitive solution of laminar liquid flow in asymmetric narrow channels. Obtained results show that the solution can provide a fairly precise flowrate, when a ratio between the width of the channel and the curvature of the boundary of the asymmetry channel is smaller than 0.2936/Re. Furthermore, the obtained solution of pressure distribution along the channel shows high enough accuracy, even though the Reynolds number reaches to higher than 105.
Research limitations/implications
Because the authors assumed the width of the channel is far smaller than the curvature of the boundary of the asymmetric channel, the obtained results could only fit finite cases. Because the Navier‐Stocks equations were finally simplified into one‐dimensional, it is impossible to forecast separation flows; so the obtained results will fail when the Re number is too big. However, experiments should be carried out further to verify these problems.
Originality/value
This paper proposes an intuitive solution of laminar liquid flow in asymmetric narrow channels, including the pressure distribution along the channel.
Details
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Dongfei Li, Hongtao Wang and Ning Dai
This paper aims to propose a method for automatic design of additive manufacturing (AM) flow channel paths driven by path length and pressure loss. The research focuses on the…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to propose a method for automatic design of additive manufacturing (AM) flow channel paths driven by path length and pressure loss. The research focuses on the automatic design of channel paths, intending to achieve the shortest flow channel length or minimum pressure loss and improve the design efficiency of AM parts.
Design/methodology/approach
The initial layout of the flow channels is redesigned to consider the channels print supports. Boundary conditions and constraints are defined according to the redesigned channels layout, and the equation consisting of channel length and pressure loss is used as the objective function. Then the path planning simulation is performed based on particle swarm algorithm. The proposed method describes the path of flow channels using spline cures. The spline curve is controlled by particle (one particle represents a path), and the particle is randomly generated within the design space. After the path planning simulation is completed, the generated paths are used to create 3D parts.
Findings
Case study 1 demonstrates the automatic design of hydraulic spool valve. Compared to conventional spool valve, the pressure loss was reduced by 86% and the mass was reduced by 83%. The design results of case study 2 indicate that this approach is able to find the shortest channel path with lower computational cost.
Originality/value
The automatic design method of flow channel paths driven by path length and pressure loss presented in this paper provides a novel solution for the creation of AM flow components.
Details