Prediction for pressure drop and heat transfer coefficient of porous metal fins

Abstract

In order to evaluate the cooling performance of the porous metal fins, both the friction factor and heat transfer coefficient were taken into account. In this study, we compared six porous metal fins and four kinds of heat exchangers made of porous material. Moreover, we proposed a new model which predicts the cooling performance of the porous metal fins. Friction loss factor of porous metal fins became predictable in less than ±10% error by using effective cross-sectional flow area and Ergun coefficient in Forchheimer-extended Darcy model. Heat transfer coefficient of porous metal fins can be predicted within an error of 10% by our model. The predictive model has two assumptions. One is that the perimeter in the porous metal fin per cross-sectional area of porous metal fin is independent of the heights of fins and number of porous cells. Another assumption is that heat transfer coefficient of porous metal fin is also independent of the heights of fins and number of porous cells as long as the velocity is same.