Numerical Determination of Interfacial Heat Transfer Coefficient for an Aligned Dual Scale Porous Medium

Abstract

Purpose Fluid flow and heat transfer in a dual scale porous media is investigated to determine the interfacial convective heat transfer coefficient, numerically. The studied porous media is a periodic dual scale porous media. It consists of the square rods which are permeable in an aligned arrangement. It is aimed to observe the enhancement of heat transfer through the porous media, which is important for thermal designers, by inserting intra-pores into the square rods. A special attention is given to the roles of size and number of intra-pores on the heat transfer enhancement through the dual scale porous media. The role of intra-pores on the pressure drop of air flow through porous media is also investigated by calculation and comparison of the friction coefficient. Design/methodology/approach To calculate the interfacial convective heat transfer coefficient, the governing equations which are continuity, momentum and energy equations are solved to determine velocity, pressure and temperature fields. As the dual scale porous structure is periodic, a representative elementary volume is generated, and the governing equations are numerically solved for the selected representative volume. By using the obtained velocity, pressure and temperature fields and using volume average definition, the volume average of aforementioned parameters is calculated and upscaled. Then, the interfacial convective heat transfer coefficient and the friction coefficient is numerically determined. The interparticle porosity is changed between 0.4 and 0.75, while the intraparticle varies between 0.2 and 0.75 to explore the effect of intra-pore on heat transfer enhancement. Findings The obtained Nusselt number values are compared with corresponding mono-scale porous media, and it is found that heat transfer through a porous medium can be enhanced threefold (without the increase of pressure drop) by inserting intraparticle pores in flow direction. For the porous media with low values of interparticle porosity (i.e. = 0.4), an optimum intraparticle porosity exists for which the highest heat transfer enhancement can be achieved. This value was found around 0.3 when the interparticle porosity was 0.4. Research limitations/implications The results of the study are interesting, especially from heat transfer enhancement point of view. However, further studies are required. For instance, studies should be performed to analyze the rate of the heat transfer enhancement for different shapes and arrangements of particles and a wider range of porosity. The other important parameter influencing heat transfer enhancement is the direction of pores. In the present study, the intraparticle pores are in flow direction; hence, the enhancement rate of heat transfer for different directions of pores must also be investigated. Practical implications The application of dual scale porous media is widely faced in daily life, nature and industry. The flowing of a fluid through a fiber mat, woven fiber bundles, multifilament textile fibers, oil filters and fractured porous media are some examples for the application of the heat and fluid flow through a dual scale porous media. Heat transfer enhancement. Social implications The enhancement of heat transfer is a significant topic that gained the attention of researchers in recent years. The importance of topic increases day-by-day because of further demands for downsizing of thermal equipment and heat recovery devices. The aim of thermal designers is to enhance heat transfer rate in thermal devices and to reduce their volume (and/or weight in some applications) by using lower mechanical power for cooling. Originality/value The present study might be the first study on determination of thermal transport properties of dual scale porous media yielded interesting results such as considerable enhancement of heat transfer by using proper intraparticle channels in a porous medium.