Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux

Xianghai Xing, Zhigen Wu, Yanping Du, Wei Lu (), Yupeng Wu and Zhibo Xiong
Additional contact information
Xianghai Xing: School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Zhigen Wu: State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Yanping Du: School of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK
Wei Lu: School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China
Yupeng Wu: Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
Zhibo Xiong: School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-21

Abstract: An analytical solution is conducted on forced convection in a metal foam partially filled plate channel under asymmetric heat flux conditions, with the aim of optimizing heat transfer performance. The Darcy–Brinkman model and the local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model are employed to predict heat transfer characteristics under varying heat flux ratios ( q 1 /q 2 ). Key parameters such as the free zone height, pore density, and thermal conductivity ratio significantly influence heat transfer efficiency. The results indicate that the height of the free region has a greater impact on the flow distribution than porosity and pore density. When the non-dimensional height of the free region is 0.3, the flow fraction in the free region reaches 80%. When the free zone height is H = 0.1, the heat exchanger heat transfer coefficient reaches its maximum value, and the combination of copper (Cu) and R134a refrigerant demonstrates superior convective heat transfer performance compared to the empty channel. Their optimization can lead to substantial improvements in the heat transfer effectiveness of the channel.

Keywords: analytical solution; metal foam; asymmetric heat flux (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: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/3/505/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/3/505/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:3:p:505-:d:1573944

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().