ARTICLE:

• One-Dimensional Model for the Combined Heat Transfer in Open-Cell Metal Foam  download article

Nihad Dukhan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguuez, Carr. # 2 Calle Post 259 N, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00681, USA

Pablo D. Quinones
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mechanics, University of Michigan, 2350 Hayward Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-2125, USA

Carolina Briano
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguuez, Carr. # 2 Calle Post 259 N, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00681, USA

Jessica Fontanez
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Puerto Rico- Mayaguuez, Carr. # 2 Calle Post 259 N, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico 00681, USA

ABSTRACT

A one-dimensional heat transfer model for open-cell metal foam is presented. The model combines the conduction in the solid ligaments of the foam and the convection in the flowing air in the pores of the foam. The approach avoids modeling the complex flow and heat transfer inside and around the pores. Three aluminum foams having different surface areas, relative densities, ligament diameters, and number of pores per inch (ppi) were analyzed. The temperature along the foam decayed exponentially with the distance from the base. The 10 ppi foam exhibited higher temperature results, indicating lower heat transfer than that for the 20 and 40 ppi cases. The temperature distribution for the 20 and 40 ppi cases were very similar. The model and the one-dimensional assumption were partially verified by direct experiment on commercial foam samples having a thickness of 50.8 mm in the flow direction. Excellent agreement was found between the analytical and the experimental results.

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