Heat Transfer Experiments of Ethylene Glycol-Water Mixture in Multi-Port Serpentine Meso-Channel Heat Exchanger Slab

Author(s):  
Mesbah G. Khan ◽  
Amir Fartaj

In past few years, narrow diameter flow passages (≤3 mm) have attracted huge research attentions due to their several advantageous features over conventional tubes (≥6 mm) especially from the view points of higher heat transfer, lesser weight, and smaller device size. Several classifications of narrow channels, based on sizes, are proposed in the open literature from mini to meso and micro (3 mm to 100 μm). The meso- and micro-channels have not yet entered into the HVAC and automotive heat exchanger industries to the expected potentials to take the above-mentioned advantages. The reasons may be the limited availability of experimental data on pressure drop and heat transfer and the lack of consolidated design correlations as compared to what is established for compact heat exchangers. While a number of studies available on standalone single straight channels, works on multi-channel slab similar to those used as typical thermal heat exchanger core elements are inadequate, especially the research on multichannel serpentine slab are limited in the open literature. The 50% ethylene glycol and water mixture is widely used in heat exchanger industry as a heat transfer fluid. Studies of pressure drop and heat transfer on this commercially important fluid using narrow tube multi-channel slab is scarce and the availability of experimental data is rare in the open literature. Conducting research on various shapes of meso- and micro-channel heat exchanger cores using a variety working fluids are a definite needs as recommended and consistently urged in ongoing research publications in this promising area. Under present long-term project, an automated dynamic single-phase experimental infrastructure has been developed to carryout the fluid flow and heat transfer research in meso- and micro-channel test specimens and prototype microchannel heat exchanger using a variety of working fluids in air-to-liquid crossflow orientation. In the series, experiments have been conducted on 50% ethylene glycol and water solution in a serpentine meso-channel slab having 68 individual channels of 1 mm hydraulic diameter to obtain the heat transfer data and the general pressure drop nature of the test fluid. Current paper presents the heat transfer characteristics of ethylene glycol-water mixture and the Reynolds number effects on pressure drop, heat transfer rate, test specimen NTU and effectiveness, overall thermal resistance, and the Nusselt number.

Author(s):  
Hee Joon Lee ◽  
Dongyao Liu ◽  
Shi-Chune Yao ◽  
Y. Alyousef

Existing data base and correlations in literature on the micro-channel pressure drop and heat transfer are reviewed. None of the existing correlations can cover the wide range of working fluids, operational conditions and different microchannel dimensions. The importance of the Bond number, which relates the nominal bubble dimension or capillary parameter with the channel size, is revealed. Using the Bond number, improved correlations of pressure drop and heat transfer are established. The new correlations predict the existing data well over wide ranges of working fluids, operational conditions and dimensions of micro-channels. Furthermore, Bond number could be used as a criterion to classify a flow path as a micro-channel or conventional macro-channel.


Author(s):  
Weilin Qu ◽  
Seok-Mann Yoon ◽  
Issam Mudawar

Knowledge of flow pattern and flow pattern transitions is essential to the development of reliable predictive tools for pressure drop and heat transfer in two-phase micro-channel heat sinks. In the present study, experiments were conducted with adiabatic nitrogen-water two-phase flow in a rectangular micro-channel having a 0.406 × 2.032 mm cross-section. Superficial velocities of nitrogen and water ranged from 0.08 to 81.92 m/s and 0.04 to 10.24 m/s, respectively. Flow patterns were first identified using high-speed video imaging, and still photos were then taken for representative patterns. Results reveal that the dominant flow patterns are slug and annular, with bubbly flow occurring only occasionally; stratified and churn flow were never observed. A flow pattern map was constructed and compared with previous maps and predictions of flow pattern transition models. Annual flow is identified as the dominant flow pattern for conditions relevant to two-phase micro-channel heat sinks, and forms the basis for development of a theoretical model for both pressure drop and heat transfer in micro-channels. Features unique to two-phase micro-channel flow, such as laminar liquid and gas flows, smooth liquid-gas interface, and strong entrainment and deposition effects are incorporated into the model. The model shows good agreement with experimental data for water-cooled heat sinks.


Author(s):  
Ian W. Jentz ◽  
Mark H. Anderson

Abstract The Homogenized Heat Exchanger Thermohydraulic (HHXT) modeling environment has been developed to provide thermodynamic modeling of printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs). This finite element approach solves solid conduction and fluid thermohydraulics simultaneously, without the need to mesh the minuscule micro-channels of a PCHE. The model handles PCHE features such as headers, solid side walls, and channel inlet and outlet regions, in addition to the micro-channel core. The HHXT model resolves PCHE thermohydraulics using simple model definitions and minimum computational overhead, making it an ideal design tool. This work introduces the thermohydraulic model at the core of HHXT. The homogenization approach used in the model occupies a medium between simplified linear analyses of heat transfer within a PCHE and the brute force of a fully resolved finite element, or computational fluid dynamics, model. An example problem modeling an experimental PCHE is presented. The ability of the HHXT model to simulate fluid flow through a directional varying micro-channel core of two heat-exchanging streams is demonstrated. The HHXT model is being distributed for free within the research community.


Author(s):  
Weilin Qu ◽  
Issam Mudawar

The design and reliable operation of a two-phase micro-channel heat sink require a fundamental understanding of the complex transport phenomena associated with convective boiling in small, parallel coolant passages. This understanding is the primary goal of this paper. This goal is realized by exploring the following aspects of boiling in micro-channels: hydrodynamic instability, two-phase flow patterns, pressure drop, and convective boiling heat transfer. High-speed photographic methods were used to determine dominant flow patterns and explore as well as characterize hydrodynamic instabilities. Two types of dynamic instability were identified, a severe pressure drop oscillation and a mild parallel channel instability, and a simple method is recommended to completely suppress the former. Predictions of three popular two-phase pressure drop models and correlations were compared to micro-channel water data, and only a separated flow (Lockhart-Martinelli) correlation based on the assumption of laminar flow in both phases gave acceptable predictions. Several popular heat transfer correlations were also examined and deemed unsuitable for micro-channel heat sinks because all these correlations are based on turbulent flow assumptions, and do not capture the unique features of micro-channel flow such as abrupt transition to slug flow, hydrodynamic instability, and high droplet entrainment in the annular regime. These findings point to the need for further study of boiling behavior and new predictive tools specifically tailored to micro-channel heat sinks.


Author(s):  
Muhammad Ansab Ali ◽  
Tariq S. Khan ◽  
Ebrahim Al Hajri

The quest to achieve higher heat transfer rate, smaller size and minimum pressure drop is a main area of focus in the design of heat exchangers. Plate heat exchangers are one of viable candidates to deliver higher heat duties but still have a drawback of higher pressure drop due to long restricted flow path. Motivated by demand of miniaturization and cost reduction, a novel design of tubular microchannel heat exchanger for single phase flow employing ammonia water mixture is proposed. Numerical simulation of unit fluid domain is conducted in ANSYS Fluent. Parametric study of the different flow geometries is evaluated in terms of Nusselt number and pressure drop. The salient features of the design include ultra-compact size with higher heat transfer rate and acceptable pressure drop.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1 Part A) ◽  
pp. 375-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raviwat Srisomba ◽  
Lazarus Asirvatham ◽  
Omid Mahian ◽  
Ahmet Dalkılıç ◽  
Mohamed Awad ◽  
...  

The effects of operating conditions on the air-side heat transfer, and pressure drop of a micro-channel heat exchanger under wet surface conditions were studied experimentally. The test section was an aluminum micro-channel heat exchanger, consisting of a multi-louvered fin and multi-port mini-channels. Experiments were conducted to study the effects of inlet relative humidity, air frontal velocity, air inlet temperature, and refrigerant temperature on air-side performance. The experimental data were analyzed using the mean enthalpy difference method. The test run was performed at relative air humidities ranging between 45% and 80%; air inlet temperature ranges of 27, 30, and 33?C; refrigerant-saturated temperatures ranging from 18 to 22?C; and Reynolds numbers between 128 and 166. The results show that the inlet relative humidity, air inlet temperature, and the refrigerant temperature had significant effects on heat transfer performance and air-side pressure drop. The heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop for the micro-channel heat exchanger under wet surface conditions are proposed in terms of the Colburn j factor and Fanning f factor.


This paper documents the optimization of different parameters of micro channel heat sink which enhance the heat transfer. The objective is to find the major thermal resistance in micro channel and its effect on other parameters. Water is used as a coolant and the initial values of convective heat transfer coefficient and volume flow rate are 30000 W/m2K and 1 lpm respectively. Different graph are plotted between pressure drop,heat transfer co-efficient, pressure drop,thermal resistance and flow rate to finally achieve the optimized valus of channel width and height, hydraulic diameter, thermal resistance and pressure drop. The result achieved are in good agreement with the previous researches.


Author(s):  
Merrill A. Wilson ◽  
Kurt Recknagle ◽  
Kriston Brooks

Typically, ceramic micro-channel devices are used for high temperature heat exchangers, catalytic reactors, electronics cooling, and processing of corrosive streams where the thermomechanical benefits of ceramic materials are desired. These benefits include: high temperature mechanical and corrosion properties and tailorable material properties such as thermal expansion, electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity. In addition, by utilizing Laminated Object Manufacturing (LOM) methods, inexpensive ceramic materials can be layered, featured and laminated in the green state and co-sintered to form monolithic structures amenable to mass production. In cooperation with the DOE and Pacific Northwest National Labs, silicon carbide (SiC) based micro-channel recuperator concepts are being developed and tested. The performance benefits of a high temperature, micro-channel heat exchanger are realized from the improved thermal efficiency of the high temperature cycles and the improved effectiveness of micro-channels for heat transfer. In designing these structures, the heat and mass transfer within the micro-channels are being analyzed with heat transfer models, computational fluid dynamics models and validated with experimental results. As an example, a typical micro-turbine cycle was modified and modeled to incorporate this ceramic recuperator and it was found that the overall thermal efficiency of the micro-turbine could be improved from about 27% to over 40%. Process improvements require technical advantages and cost advantages. These LOM methodologies have been based on well-proven industry standard processes where labor, throughput and capital estimates have been tested. Following these cost models and validation at the prototype scale, cost estimates were obtained. For the micro-turbine example, cost estimates indicate that the high-temperature SiC recuperator would cost about $200 per kWe. The development of these heat exchangers is multi-faceted and this paper focuses on the design optimization of a layered micro-channel heat exchanger, its performance testing, and fabrication development through LOM methodologies.


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