Double-Layer Metal Foams for Further Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Channel: An Analytical Study

Abstract

A local thermal non-equilibrium analysis of heat and fluid flow in a channel fully filled with aluminum foam is performed for three cases: (a) pore density of 5 PPI (pore per inch), (b) pore density of 40 PPI, and (c) two different layers of 5 and 40 PPI. The dimensionless forms of fully developed heat and fluid flow equations for the fluid phase and heat conduction equation for the solid phase are solved analytically. The effects of interfacial heat transfer coefficient and thermal dispersion conductivity are considered. Analytical expressions for temperature profile of solid and fluid phases, and also the channel Nusselt number (NuH) are obtained. The obtained results are discussed in terms of the channel-based Reynolds number (ReH) changing from 10 to 2000, and thickness ratio between the channel height and sublayers. The Nusselt number of the channel with 40 PPI is always greater than that of the 5 PPI channel. It is also greater than the channel with two-layer aluminum foams until a specific Reynolds number then the Nusselt number of the channel with two-layer aluminum foams becomes greater than the uniform channels due to the higher velocity in the outer region and considerable increase in thermal dispersion.