scholarly journals Numerical Study Using Microstructure Based Finite Element Modeling of the Onset of Convective Heat Transfer in Closed-Cell Polymeric Foam

Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1769
Author(s):  
Jorge-Enrique Rivera-Salinas ◽  
Karla-Monzerratt Gregorio-Jáuregui ◽  
Heidi-Andrea Fonseca-Florido ◽  
Carlos-Alberto Ávila-Orta ◽  
Eduardo Ramírez-Vargas ◽  
...  

The thermal performance of closed-cell foams as an insulation device depends on the thermal conductivity. In these systems, the heat transfer mode associated with the convective contribution is generally ignored, and studies are based on the thermo-physical properties that emerge from the conductive contribution, while others include a term for radiative transport. The criterion found in the literature for disregarding convective heat flux is the cell diameter; however, the cell size for which convection is effectively suppressed has not been clearly disclosed, and it is variously quoted in the range 3–10 mm. In practice, changes in thermal conductivity are also attributed to the convection heat transfer mode; hence, natural convection in porous materials is worthy of research. This work extends the field of study of conjugate heat transfer (convection and conduction) in cellular materials using microstructure-based finite element analysis. For air-based insulating materials, the criteria to consider natural convection (Ra=103) is met by cavities with sizes of 9.06 mm; however, convection is developed into several cavities despite their sizes being lower than 9.06 mm, hence, the average pore size that can effectively suppress the convective heat transfer is 6.0 mm. The amount of heat transported by convection is about 20% of the heat transported by conduction within the foam in a Ra=103, which, in turn, produces an increasing average of the conductivity of about 4.5%, with respect to a constant value.

Author(s):  
Shijo Thomas ◽  
C. B. Sobhan ◽  
Jaime Taha-Tijerina ◽  
T. N. Narayanan ◽  
P. M. Ajayan

Nanofluids are suspensions or colloids produced by dispersing nanoparticles in base fluids like water, oil or organic fluids, so as to improve their thermo-physical properties. Investigations reported in recent times have shown that the addition of nanoparticles significantly influence the thermophysical properties, such as the thermal conductivity, viscosity, specific heat and density of base fluids. The convective heat transfer coefficient also has shown anomalous variations, compared to those encountered in the base fluids. By careful selection of the parameters such as the concentration and the particle size, it has been possible to produce nanofluids with various properties engineered depending on the requirement. A mineral oil–boron nitride nanofluid system, where an increased thermal conductivity and a reduced electrical conductivity has been observed, is investigated in the present work to evaluate its heat transfer performance under natural convection. The modified mineral oil is produced by chemically dispersing boron nitride nanoparticles utilizing a one step method to obtain a stable suspension. The mineral oil based nanofluid is investigated under transient free convection heat transfer, by observing the temperature-time response of a lumped parameter system. The experimental study is used to estimate the time-dependent convective heat transfer coefficient. Comparisons are made with the base fluid, so that the enhancement in the heat transfer coefficient under natural convection situation can be estimated.


Author(s):  
Manel Kraiem ◽  
Mustapha Karkri ◽  
Sassi Ben Nasrallah ◽  
patrick sobolciak ◽  
Magali Fois ◽  
...  

Thermophysical characterization of three paraffin waxes (RT27, RT21 and RT35HC) is carried out in this study using DSC, TGA and transient plane source technics. Then, a numerical study of their melting in a rectangular enclosure is examined. The enthalpy-porosity approach is used to formulate this problem in order to understand the heat transfer mechanism during the melting process. The analysis of the solid-liquid interface shape, the temperature field shows that the conduction is the dominant heat transfer mode in the beginning of the melting process. It is followed by a transition regime and the natural convection becomes the dominant heat transfer mode. The effects of the Rayleigh number and the aspect ratio of the enclosure on the melting phenomenon are studied and it is found that the intensity of the natural convection increases as the Rayleigh number is higher and the aspect ratio is smaller. In the second part of the numerical study, a comparison of the performance of paraffins waxes during the melting process is conducted. Results reveals that from a kinetically RT21 is the most performant but in term of heat storage capacity, it was inferred that RT35HC is the most efficient PCM.


2019 ◽  
Vol 873 ◽  
pp. 1055-1071 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hechuan Jiang ◽  
Xiaojue Zhu ◽  
Varghese Mathai ◽  
Xianjun Yang ◽  
Roberto Verzicco ◽  
...  

We report on a combined experimental and numerical study of convective heat transfer along ratchet surfaces in vertical natural convection (VC). Due to the asymmetry of the convection system caused by the asymmetric ratchet-like wall roughness, two distinct states exist, with markedly different orientations of the large-scale circulation roll (LSCR) and different heat transport efficiencies. Statistical analysis shows that the heat transport efficiency depends on the strength of the LSCR. When a large-scale wind flows along the ratchets in the direction of their smaller slopes, the convection roll is stronger and the heat transport is larger than the case in which the large-scale wind is directed towards the steeper slope side of the ratchets. Further analysis of the time-averaged temperature profiles indicates that the stronger LSCR in the former case triggers the formation of a secondary vortex inside the roughness cavity, which promotes fluid mixing and results in a higher heat transport efficiency. Remarkably, this result differs from classical Rayleigh–Bénard convection (RBC) with asymmetric ratchets (Jiang et al., Phys. Rev. Lett., vol. 120, 2018, 044501), wherein the heat transfer is stronger when the large-scale wind faces the steeper side of the ratchets. We reveal that the reason for the reversed trend for VC as compared to RBC is that the flow is less turbulent in VC at the same $Ra$. Thus, in VC the heat transport is driven primarily by the coherent LSCR, while in RBC the ejected thermal plumes aided by gravity are the essential carrier of heat. The present work provides opportunities for control of heat transport in engineering and geophysical flows.


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