Heat-transfer coefficient for cellular materials modelled as an array of elliptic rods

Abstract

Convective heat-transfer coefficients in foam-like materials, modelled as an array of elliptic rods, are numerically determined. An incompressible fluid is considered, flowing through an infinite foam-like material with an arbitrary solid temperature. A repetitive cell is identified and periodic boundary conditions are applied. Turbulence is handled with both low and high Reynolds number formulations. The interfacial heat-transfer coefficient is obtained by volume integrating the distributed variables obtained within the cell. The results indicate that, for the same mass-flow rate, materials formed by elliptic rods have a lower interfacial heat-transfer coefficient compared to other media modelled as staggered arrays of square rods. © 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.