A Method for Determining the Heat Transfer Properties of Foam-Fins

2008 ◽  
Vol 131 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Moffat ◽  
John K. Eaton ◽  
Andrew Onstad

Metallic and graphitic open-cell foams are being used or proposed as extended surfaces (fins) in heat sinks for electronic cooling and compact heat exchangers for aircraft applications. Three parameters must be known to calculate the heat transfer performance of a foam-fin: the product hmAc* as a function of flow-rate (the convective conductance per unit volume), the product ksAk* (the effective conductive conductance as a fin), and Rbond (the effective thermal resistance between the foam and the surface to which it is attached). This paper describes a new test method, which, in conjunction with an older well established type of test, allows all three parameters to be measured using one specimen.

Author(s):  
Chien-Yuh Yang ◽  
Chien-Fu Liu

Numerous researches have been developed for pool boiling on microporous coated surface in the past decade. The nucleate boiling heat transfer was found to be increased by up to 4.5 times than that on uncoated surface. Recently, the two-phase micro heat exchangers have been considered for high flux electronic devices cooling. The enhancement techniques for improving the nucleate boiling heat transfer performance in the micro heat exchangers have gotten more importance. Previous studies of microporous coatings, however, have been restricted to boiling in unconfined space. No studies have been made on the feasibility of using microporous coatings for enhancing boiling in confined spaces. This study provides an experimental observation of the vapor generation and leaving processes on microporous coatings surface in a 1-mm confined space. It would be helpful for understanding the mechanism of boiling heat transfer and improving the design of two-phase micro heat exchangers. Aluminum particles of average diameter 20 μm were mixed with a binder and a carrier to develop a 150 μm thickness boiling enhancement paint on a 3.0 cm by 3.0 cm copper heating surface. The heating surface was covered by a thin glass plate with a 1 mm spacer to form a 1 mm vertical narrow space for the test section. The boiling phenomenon was recorded by a high speed camera. In addition to the three boiling regimes observed by Bonjour and Lallemand [1], i.e., isolated deformed bubbles, coalesced bubbles and partial dryout at low, moderate and high heat fluxes respectively in unconfined space, a suction and blowing process was observed at the highest heat flux condition. Owing to the space confinement, liquid was sucked and vapor was expelled periodically during the bubble generation process. This mechanism significantly enhanced the boiling heat transfer performance in confined space.


2005 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. K. Tafti

The paper describes two- and three-dimensional computer simulations which are used to study fundamental flow and thermal phenomena in multilouvered fins used for air-side heat transfer enhancement in compact heat exchangers. Results pertaining to flow transition, thermal wake interference, and fintube junction effects are presented. It is shown that a Reynolds number based on flow path rather than louver pitch is more appropriate in defining the onset of transition, and characteristic frequencies in the louver bank scale better with a global length scale such as fin pitch than with louver pitch or thickness. With the aid of computer experiments, the effect of thermal wakes is quantified on the heat capacity of the fin as well as the heat transfer coefficient, and it is established that experiments which neglect accounting for thermal wakes can introduce large errors in the measurement of heat transfer coefficients. Further, it is shown that the geometry of the louver in the vicinity of the tube surface has a large effect on tube heat transfer and can have a substantial impact on the overall heat capacity.


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