This paper sets forth a fully validated quasianalytical method for determining the fluid flow in a multi-inlet collection manifold. The method is based on first principles, which are the conservation laws for mass and momentum. Although it is necessary to use numerical means to extract results from the model, the solution task is accomplished by the use of a spreadsheet, without the need for complex software or large computer assets. The validation of the method was achieved by comparing the key results with those from a numerically exact simulation. The comparison included both local results and global results. For the local results, the accuracy of the model was found to be in the 1% range, while the global results from the model were accurate to about 4%. The investigated manifold was a case study drawn from a problem involving thermal management of electronic equipment, in which an array of coldplates discharged spent air into the manifold. It was found, from both the quasianalytical method and the numerical simulation, that there is a variation in the per-coldplate flowrate due to axial pressure variations in the manifold. These pressure variations can be attributed to the streamwise acceleration of the manifold flow due to the accumulation of the flow entering the manifold from the coldplate array. The utility of the quasianalytical method was further demonstrated by applying it to a number of other cases. In particular, the method was used to design a manifold capable of producing a uniform mass flowrate through all of its ports.

1.
Koh
,
J. H.
,
Seo
,
H. K.
,
Lee
,
C. G.
,
Yoo
,
Y. S.
, and
Lim
,
H. C.
, 2003, “
Pressure and Flow Distribution in Internal Gas Manifolds of a Fuel-Cell Stack
,”
J. Power Sources
0378-7753,
115
, pp.
54
65
.
2.
Venkataraman
,
R.
, and
Farooque
,
M.
, 2004, “
Study of the Gas Flow Distribution and Heat Transfer for Externally Manifolded Fuel Cell Stack Module Using Computational Fluid Dynamics Method
,”
J. Fuel Cell Sci. Technol.
1550-624X,
1
, pp.
49
55
.
3.
Schenone
,
C.
, 2005, “
Gas Distribution for Molten Carbonate Fuel Cells
,”
Proceedings of the First European Fuel Cell Technology and Applications Conference
, December, 2005.
4.
Biao
,
Z.
,
Kui
,
J.
, and
Peng
,
Q.
, 2006, “
Liquid Water Transport in Parallel Serpentine Channels With Manifolds on Cathode Side of PEM Fuel Cell Stack
,”
J. Power Sources
0378-7753,
154
, pp.
124
137
.
5.
Amador
,
C.
,
Gavriilidis
,
A.
, and
Angeli
,
P.
, 2004, “
Flow Distribution in Different Microreactor Scale-Out Geometries and the Effect of Manufacturing Tolerances and Channel Blockage
,”
Chem. Eng. J.
0300-9467,
101
, pp.
379
390
.
6.
Tonomura
,
O.
,
Tanaka
,
S.
, and
Hasimoto
,
I.
, 2004, “
CFD-Based Design of Manifolds in Fin-Plate Microdevices
,”
Chem. Eng. J.
0300-9467,
101
, pp.
397
402
.
7.
Eason
,
C.
,
Dalton
,
T.
, and
Slattery
,
O.
, 2005, “
Direct Comparison Between Five Different Microchannels
,”
Heat Transfer Eng.
0145-7632,
26
, pp.
89
98
.
8.
Furlani
,
E.
, 2005, “
Thermal Modulation and Instability of Newtonian Liquid Microjets
,” 2005 NSTI Technology and Trade Show, pp.
668
671
.
9.
Tonkovich
,
A.
,
Kuhlmann
,
D.
, and
Yuschak
,
T.
, 2005, “
Microchannel Technology Scale-Up to Commercial Capacity
,”
Chem. Eng. Res. Des.
0263-8762,
83
, pp.
634
639
.
10.
Emerson
,
D. R.
,
Cieslicki
,
K.
, and
Barber
,
R. W.
, 2006, “
Biomimetic Design of Microfluidic Manifolds Based on a Generalized Murray’s Law
,”
Lab Chip
1473-0197,
6
, pp.
447
454
.
11.
Nozal
,
O.
,
Arce
,
L.
, and
Valcarcel
,
M.
, 2004, “
Rapid Determination of Trace Levels of Tetracyclines in Surface Water Using a Continuous Flow Manifold Coupled to a Capillary Electrophoresis System
,”
Anal. Chim. Acta
0003-2670,
517
, pp.
89
94
.
12.
Yebra-Biurrun
,
M.
,
Moreno-Cid
,
A.
, and
Cancela-Perez
,
S.
, 2005, “
Fast On-Line Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction Coupled to a Flow-Injection Atomic Absorption Spectrometric System for Zinc Determination in Meat Samples
,”
Talanta
0039-9140,
66
, pp.
691
695
.
13.
Kale
,
S.
, and
Ganesan
,
V.
, 2004, “
Investigation of the Flow Field in the Various Regions of the Intake Manifold of a S.I. Engine
,”
Ind. J. Eng. Mater. Sci.
0971-4588,
11
, pp.
85
92
.
14.
Persoons
,
T.
,
Van den Blick
,
E.
, and
Fausto
,
S.
, 2004, “
Study of Pulsating Flow in Close-Coupled Catalyst Manifolds Using Phase-Locked Hot-Wire Anemometry
,”
Exp. Fluids
0723-4864,
36
, pp.
217
232
.
15.
D’Errico
,
G.
, and
Onorati
,
A.
, 2006, “
Thermo Fluid-Dynamic Modeling of a Six-Cylinder Spark Ignition Engine With a Secondary Air-Injection System
,”
International Journal of Engine Research
,
7
, pp.
1
16
.
16.
Cylkis
,
P.
, and
Hendla
,
R.
, 2005, “
Influence of Real Gas Model on the Simulation of Pressure Pulsations in the Reciprocating Compression Manifold
,”
Archives of Thermodynamics
,
26
, pp.
21
35
.
17.
Ma
,
F.
,
Choi
,
J.
, and
Yang
,
V.
, 2005, “
Thrust Chamber Dynamics and Propulsion Performance of Single-Tube Pulse Detonation Engines
,”
J. Propul. Power
0748-4658,
21
, pp.
512
526
.
18.
Xu
,
B.
,
Liang
,
F.
, and
Cai
,
S.
, 2005, “
Numerical Analysis and Visualization of Natural Gas Jet With Multi-Point, Ignition System
,”
Chin. J. Mech. Eng.
0577-6686,
18
, pp.
550
554
.
19.
Ryu
,
J.
,
Cheong
,
C.
, and
Lee
,
S.
, 2005, “
Computation of Internal Aerodynamic Noise from a Quick-Opening Throttle Valve Using Frequency-Domain Acoustic Analogy
,”
Appl. Acoust.
0003-682X,
66
, pp.
1278
1308
.
20.
Hrnjak
,
P. S.
, 2004, “
Flow Distribution Issues in Parallel Flow Heat Exchangers
,”
ASHRAE Trans.
0001-2505,
110
, Part 1, pp.
301
306
.
21.
Vist
,
S.
, 2004, “
Two-Phase Flow Distribution in Compact Heat Exchanger Manifolds
,”
Exp. Therm. Fluid Sci.
0894-1777,
28
, pp.
209
215
.
22.
Wu
,
T.
,
Jiang
,
B.
, and
Bi
,
C.
, 2006, “
Nonisothermal Comprehensive 3D Analysis of Polymer Melts in a Coat-Hangar Die
,”
Polym. Eng. Sci.
0032-3888,
46
, pp.
406
415
.
23.
Tong
,
J. C. K
, 2006, “
Development of Systematic Solution Methodologies for the Fluid-Flow Manifold Problem
,” Ph.D. thesis, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN.
24.
Sparrow
,
E. M.
,
Sipple
,
J.
, and
Palmer
,
E.
, 1995, “
Enhanced Applications of Attic-Collected Solar Energy
,”
Proceedngs of the 1995 Annual Conference of the American Society of Solar Energy
, pp.
342
347
.
You do not currently have access to this content.