The Effects of Compression and Pore Size Variations on the Liquid Flow Characteristics in Metal Foams

2001 ◽  
Vol 124 (1) ◽  
pp. 263-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Boomsma ◽  
D. Poulikakos
Keyword(s):  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Maximum Flow ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
Convection Heat ◽  
Hydraulic Characteristics ◽  
Aluminum Foams ◽  
Transitional Regime ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Flow Velocities

Open-cell aluminum foams were investigated using water to determine their hydraulic characteristics. Maximum fluid flow velocities achieved were 1.042 m/s. The permeability and form coefficient varied from 2.46×10−10 m2 and 8701 m−1 to 3529×10−10 m2 and 120 m−1, respectively. It was determined that the flowrate range influenced these calculated parameters, especially in the transitional regime where the permeability based Reynolds number varied between unity and 26.5. Beyond the transition regime where ReK≳30, the permeability and form coefficient monotonically approached values which were reported as being calculated at the maximum flow velocities attained. The results obtained in this study are relevant to engineering applications employing metal foams ranging from convection heat sinks to filters and flow straightening devices.

scholarly journals The effect of open-cell metal foams strut shape on convection heat transfer and pressure drop

2016 ◽  
Vol 103 ◽  
pp. 333-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuseppe Ambrosio ◽  
Nicola Bianco ◽  
Wilson K.S. Chiu ◽  
Marcello Iasiello ◽  
Vincenzo Naso ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Convection Heat Transfer ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Convection Heat ◽  
Open Cell

Structure and Deformation of Gradient Metal Foams Produced by Machining

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. Qiao ◽  
T. G. Murthy ◽  
C. Saldana
Keyword(s):  
Aluminum Foam ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Aluminum Foams ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Computed Tomographic ◽  
Surface Gradient ◽  
Structure Changes

Abstract The effects of surface structure on mechanical performance for open-cell aluminum foam specimens was investigated in the present study. A surface gradient for pore structure and diameter was introduced into open cell aluminum foams by machining-based processing. The structure changes in the strut and pore network were evaluated by computed tomography characterization. The role of structure gradients in affecting mechanical performance was determined using digital volume correlation and in situ compression within the computed tomographic scanner. These preliminary results show that the strength of these materials may be enhanced through surface structural gradients.

Effect of Precursor Design on Preparing Open-Cell Aluminum Foam Fabricated by Space-Holder Method

2021 ◽  
Vol 1035 ◽  
pp. 169-174
Author(s):  
Tan Wan ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Fa Ting Xu ◽  
Xiang Ding
Keyword(s):  
Aluminum Foam ◽  
Functional Performance ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Aluminum Foams ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Lower Porosity ◽  
Negative Effect ◽  
Spherical Cells ◽  
Good Flow

Open-cell aluminum foams with spherical cells have great potential application due to their reliable structural and functional performance. However, a problem of poor cell connectivity always arises during fabrication. Three precursor designs were explored to optimize the cell structure. The results showed that the lack of the treatment of the space holders caused poor cell connectivity and a lower porosity, which could be resolved by introducing alcohol as a binder or hot-pressing space holders in precursor designs. Nevertheless, a poor fluid of the granules in the former had a negative effect on porosity improvement, whereas the latter created a precursor with strong bonding between the granules with good flow characteristics and led to a significant improvement in cell connectivity and porosity. This work could provide an approach to designing precursor structures in order to tailor the structure of the final open-cell aluminum foam.

scholarly journals Simulation of Thermal Transport in Open-Cell Metal Foams: Effect of Periodic Unit Cell Structure

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shankar Krishnan ◽  
Suresh V. Garimella ◽  
Jayathi Y. Murthy
Keyword(s):  
Thermal Transport ◽  
Pore Space ◽  
Cell Structure ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Unit Cube ◽  
Unit Cell ◽  
Face Centered Cubic ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Periodic Unit Cell

Direct simulation of thermal transport in open-cell metal foams is conducted using different periodic unit cell geometries. The periodic unit cell structures are constructed by assuming the pore space to be spherical and subtracting the pore space from a unit cube of the metal. Different types of packing arrangement for spheres are considered - Body Centered Cubic, Face Centered Cubic, and the A15 lattice (similar to a Weaire-Phelan unit cell) - which give rise to different foam structures. Effective thermal conductivity, pressure drop and Nusselt number are computed by imposing periodic boundary conditions for aluminum foams saturated with air or water. The computed values compare well with existing experimental measurements and semi-empirical models for porosities greater than 80%. The effect of different foam packing arrangements on the computed thermal and fluid flow characteristics is discussed. The capabilities and limitations of the present approach are identified.

Structure and Deformation of Gradient Metal Foams Produced by Machining

2019 ◽  
Vol 141 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Haipeng Qiao ◽  
Tejas G. Murthy ◽  
Christopher Saldana
Keyword(s):  
Aluminum Foam ◽  
Mechanical Performance ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Aluminum Foams ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Computed Tomographic ◽  
Surface Gradient ◽  
Structure Changes

The effects of surface structure on mechanical performance for open-cell aluminum foam specimens were investigated in the present study. A surface gradient for pore structure and diameter was introduced into open-cell aluminum foams by machining-based processing. The structure changes in the strut and pore network were evaluated by computed tomography characterization. The role of structure gradients in affecting mechanical performance was determined using digital volume correlation and in situ compression within the computed tomographic scanner. These preliminary results show that the strength of these materials may be enhanced through surface structural gradients.

Geometric Mean of Fin Efficiency and Effectiveness: A Parameter to Determine Optimum Length of Open-Cell Metal Foam Used as Extended Heat Transfer Surface

2017 ◽  
Vol 139 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tisha Dixit ◽  
Indranil Ghosh
Keyword(s):  
Heat Transfer ◽  
Metal Foam ◽  
Geometric Mean ◽  
Fluid Velocity ◽  
High Surface ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
Heat Sinks ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Fin Efficiency

High porosity open-cell metal foams have captured the interest of thermal industry due to their high surface area density, low weight, and ability to create tortuous mixing of fluid. In this work, application of metal foams as heat sinks has been explored. The foam has been represented as a simple cubic structure and heat transfer from a heated base has been treated analogous to that of solid fins. Based on this model, three performance parameters namely, foam efficiency, overall foam efficiency, and foam effectiveness have been evaluated for metal foam heat sinks. Parametric studies with varying foam length, porosity, pore density, material, and fluid velocity have been conducted. It has been observed that geometric mean of foam efficiency and foam effectiveness can be a useful parameter to exactly determine the optimum foam length. Additionally, the variation in temperature profile of different foams heated from one end has been determined experimentally by cooling these with atmospheric air. The experimental results have been presented for open-cell metal foams (10 and 30 PPI) made of copper/aluminium/Fe–Ni–Cr alloy with porosity in the range of 0.908–0.964.

scholarly journals Review and a Theoretical Approach on Pressure Drop Correlations of Flow through Open-Cell Metal Foam

Materials ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 3153
Author(s):  
Huizhu Yang ◽  
Yongyao Li ◽  
Binjian Ma ◽  
Yonggang Zhu
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Fluid Flow ◽  
Pressure Drop ◽  
Metal Foam ◽  
Flow Characteristics ◽  
Metal Foams ◽  
High Porosity ◽  
Open Cell ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Flow Through

Due to their high porosity, high stiffness, light weight, large surface area-to-volume ratio, and excellent thermal properties, open-cell metal foams have been applied in a wide range of sectors and industries, including the energy, transportation, aviation, biomedical, and defense industries. Understanding the flow characteristics and pressure drop of the fluid flow in open-cell metal foams is critical for applying such materials in these scenarios. However, the state-of-the-art pressure drop correlations for open-cell foams show large deviations from experimental data. In this paper, the fundamental governing equations of fluid flow through open-cell metal foams and the determination of different foam geometry structures are first presented. A variety of published models for predicting the pressure drop through open-cell metal foams are then summarized and validated against experimental data. Finally, two empirical correlations of permeability are developed and recommended based on the model of Calmidi. Moreover, Calmidi’s model is proposed to calculate the Forchheimer coefficient. These three equations together allow calculating the pressure drop through open-cell metal foam as a function of porosity and pore diameter (or strut diameter) in a wide range of porosities ε = 85.7–97.8% and pore densities of 10–100 PPI. The findings of this study greatly advance our understanding of the flow characteristics through open-cell metal foam and provide important guidance for the design of open-cell metal foam materials for different engineering applications.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document