Multi-Scale CFD Modeling of Plate Heat Exchangers Including Offset-Strip Fins and Dimple-Type Turbulators for Automotive Applications

Augusto Della Torre, Gianluca Montenegro, Angelo Onorati, Sumit Khadilkar and Roberto Icarelli
Additional contact information
Augusto Della Torre: Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Energia, Via Lambruschini, 4-20156 Milano, Italy
Gianluca Montenegro: Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Energia, Via Lambruschini, 4-20156 Milano, Italy
Angelo Onorati: Politecnico di Milano, Dipartimento di Energia, Via Lambruschini, 4-20156 Milano, Italy
Sumit Khadilkar: UFI Innovation Center, Corso Trento, 20-38061 Ala, Italy
Roberto Icarelli: UFI Filters, Via dell’Industria, 4-37060 Nogarole Rocca, Italy

Energies, 2019, vol. 12, issue 15, 1-20

Abstract: Plate heat exchangers including offset-strip fins or dimple-type turbulators have a wide application in the automotive field as oil coolers for internal combustion engines and transmissions. Their optimization is a complex task since it requires targeting different objectives: High compactness, low pressure drop and high heat-transfer efficiency. In this context, the availability of accurate Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation models plays an important role during the design phase. In this work, the development of a computational framework for the CFD simulation of compact oil-to-liquid heat exchangers, including offset-strip fins and dimples, is presented. The paper addresses the modeling problem at different scales, ranging from the characteristic size of the turbulator geometry (typically µm–mm) to the full scale of the overall device (typically cm–dm). The simulation framework is based on multi-scale concept, which applies: (a) Detailed simulations for the characterization of the micro-scale properties of the turbulator, (b) an upscaling approach to derive suitable macro-scale models for the turbulators and (c) full-scale simulations of the entire cooler, including the porous models derived for the smaller scales. The model is validated comparing with experimental data under different operating conditions. Then, it is adopted to investigate the details of the fluid dynamics and heat-transfer process, providing guidelines for the optimization of the device.

Keywords: oil-cooler; offset-strip fins; dimples; CFD; multi-scale; internal combustion engine (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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