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RESEARCH PAPERS: Porous Media

# Convective Heat Transfer in a Rectangular Channel Filled With Sintered Bronze Beads and Periodically Spaced Heated Blocks

[+] Author and Article Information
Sheng Chung Tzeng

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chienkuo Technology University, Changhua 500, Taiwan, R.O.C.tsc@ctu.edu.tw; tsc33@ms32.hinet.net

J. Heat Transfer 128(5), 453-464 (Oct 31, 2005) (12 pages) doi:10.1115/1.2175151 History: Received May 16, 2005; Revised October 31, 2005

## Abstract

This work numerically investigated the steady state fluid flow and heat transfer behaviors associated with a sintered porous channel that contains periodically spaced heated blocks. Some typical cases are experimentally examined in this study. The relevant varied parameters were the average bead diameter $(d)$, the relative block height $(h∕H)$, the relative block width $(w∕H)$, the relative block spacing $(s∕H)$, and the Reynolds number (Re). The numerical results revealed a lack of global recirculation in regions between the blocks, where the forced convective heat transfer was low, but the heat in those regions was transferred to the metallic block by conduction through porous media, before being dissipated into the fluid that passed over the zone above the heated block. Additionally, the relevant parameters considerably affect the local Nusselt number distribution along the periphery of the block surface. The average Nusselt number for each block decreased along the direction of the flow until it reached its fully developed value. The Nusselt number increased with $h∕H$ or Re in the fully developed region. The effect of $h∕H$ on the fully developed Nusselt number became stronger as Re increased and $w∕H$ decreased. The effects of $s∕H$ and $d$ on the fully developed Nusselt number were insignificant over the ranges of parameters considered herein ($d=0.7$ and $1.16mm$, $h∕H=0.12–0.59$, $w∕H=0.24–0.47$, $s∕H=0.24–0.7$, and $Re=1019–5059$). Finally, this study summarized the average Nusselt number for different configurations of the heated blocks with various $d$, $h∕H$, $w∕H$, $s∕H$, and Re.

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## Figures

Figure 1

Schematic diagram of the porous channel with heated electronic components

Figure 2

Schematic diagram of numerical domain with boundary conditions

Figure 3

Experimental apparatus

Figure 4

Physical model of the test section and positions of thermocouples from bottom view

Figure 5

Comparison of Nu¯ on each heat source with that found in Ref. 18

Figure 6

Comparison of numerical predictions with experimental values (a) wall temperatures; (b) Nusselt numbers

Figure 7

Streamlines for d=0.7mm, h∕H=0.36, w∕H=0.47, s∕H=0.47, and Re=3057

Figure 8

Velocity vector field for d=0.7mm, h∕H=0.36, w∕H=0.47, s∕H=0.47, Re=3057, and around the second block

Figure 9

Solid isotherms for d=0.7mm, h∕H=0.36, w∕H=0.47, s∕H=0.47, and Re=3057. (a) Solid temperature for all computational domain. (b) Solid temperature around the second block. (c) Solid temperature around the fifth block.

Figure 10

Fluid isotherms for d=0.7mm, h∕H=0.36, w∕H=0.47, s∕H=0.47, and Re=3057 (Note: the isothermal in the block region is the block temperature). (a) Fluid temperature for all computational domain. (b) Fluid temperature around the second block. (c) Fluid temperature around the fifth block.

Figure 11

Effects of h∕H and Re on local Nusselt number distribution along the periphery of the block surface

Figure 12

Effects of d, w∕H, s∕H on local Nusselt number distribution along the periphery of the block surface

Figure 13

Average Nusselt numbers on different blocks with various d, h∕H, w∕H, s∕H, and Re

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