Convective heat transfer and friction drag in a duct inserted with aluminum foams have been studied experimentally. The combined effects of foam porosity (ε=0.7, 0.8, and 0.95) and flow Reynolds number (1900⩽Re⩽7800) are examined. Frictional drags for flow across the aluminum foam are measured by pressure taps, while interstitial heat transfer coefficients in the aluminum foam are determined using a transient single-blow technique with a thermal non-equilibrium two-equation model. Solid material temperature distribution is further measured for double check of the heat transfer results. To understand the frictional drag mechanisms, smoke-wire flow visualization is conducted in the aluminum-foam ducts. Results show that both the friction factor and the volumetric heat transfer coefficient increase with decreasing the foam porosity at a fixed Reynolds number. In addition, the aluminum foam of ε=0.8 has the best thermal performance under the same pumping power constraint among the three aluminum foams investigated. Finally, empirical correlations for pore Nusselt number are developed in terms of pore Reynolds number under various foam porosities.
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Technical Papers
Measurement of Interstitial Convective Heat Transfer and Frictional Drag for Flow Across Metal Foams
J.-J. Hwang, Mem. ASME,
e-mail: jjhwang@chu.edu.tw
J.-J. Hwang, Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
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G.-J. Hwang, Fellow ASME,
G.-J. Hwang, Fellow ASME
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
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R.-H. Yeh,
R.-H. Yeh
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
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C.-H. Chao
C.-H. Chao
Department of Electrical Engineering, Ta-Hwa Institute of Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
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J.-J. Hwang, Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
e-mail: jjhwang@chu.edu.tw
G.-J. Hwang, Fellow ASME
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
R.-H. Yeh
Department of Power Mechanical Engineering, National Tsing Hua University, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
C.-H. Chao
Department of Electrical Engineering, Ta-Hwa Institute of Technology, Hsinchu, Taiwan 300, ROC
Contributed by the Heat Transfer Division for publication in the JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER. Manuscript received by the Heat Transfer Division November 17, 2000; revision received May 15, 2001. Associate Editor: D. Poulikakos.
J. Heat Transfer. Feb 2002, 124(1): 120-129 (10 pages)
Published Online: May 15, 2001
Article history
Received:
November 17, 2000
Revised:
May 15, 2001
Citation
Hwang, J., Hwang, G., Yeh, R., and Chao, C. (May 15, 2001). "Measurement of Interstitial Convective Heat Transfer and Frictional Drag for Flow Across Metal Foams ." ASME. J. Heat Transfer. February 2002; 124(1): 120–129. https://doi.org/10.1115/1.1416690
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