Optimal Pin Fin Heat Exchanger Surface

Sammanfattning: This research presents the results of numerical study of heat transfer and pressure drop in a heat exchanger that is designed with different shape pin fins. The heat exchanger used for this research consists of a rectangular duct fitted with different shape pin fins, and is heated from the lower plate. The pin shape and the compact heat exchanger (CHE) configuration were numerically studied to maximize the heat transfer and minimize the pressure drop across the heat exchanger. A three dimensional finite volume based numerical model using FLUENT© was used to analyze the heat transfer characteristics of various pin fin heat exchangers. The simulation applied to estimate the heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop for a wide range of Reynolds numbers with different pin fins. Circular pin configuration variations included changes in pin spacing, axial pitch and pin height ratio. Rectangular and drop-shaped pin variations also included changes in length and aspect ratio. Correlations for Nusselt number and friction factor were developed. The optimum drop shaped pin array was shown to match the heat transfer rates obtained by the optimum circular pin configuration while incurring less than one third the specific fluid friction power losses. The data and conclusions of this study can be applied to the optimization of different heat exchangers which are used in industry, especially oil cooler in power transformers which are currently working with low cooling efficiency. It can also be used in the design of electronic components, turbine blade cooling or in other high heat flux dissipation applications requiring a low-profile, high area-density based micro-heat exchanger design. This study also shows that numerical models backed with experimental analysis can reduce both the time and money required to create and evaluate engineering concepts, especially those that deal with fluid flow and heat transfer. In the following chapters, first the problems which are encountered by power transformer suppliers are described. Then pin fin technology is studied with more details as a novel solution to the oil cooling problem. Some studies on behavior of power transformer coolers are also conducted to make their problems more clear. Available experimental data in the Iran Transfo company have been used for validation of these studies. They are presented as separated papers at the end of thesis. Finally the results of pin fin studies are presented and horizontal continuous casting (HCC) is explained as a manufacturing method for pin fins production. A separate paper which is based on experimental study on HCC is also included at the end of thesis.