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Effect of Metal Foam on Natural Convective Heat Transfer of Nanofluids in a Photothermal Conversion System

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Abstract

In recent years, photothermal conversion and enhanced heat transfer have received increasing attention. In order to enhance the heat transfer efficiency of photothermal conversion system, metal copper foam was partially filled in the hot surface of the photothermal conversion system. The natural convective characteristics of nanofluids in the photothermal conversion system partially filled with metal copper foam were experimentally investigated. The impact of different Fe3O4–H2O nanofluids mass fraction (ω = 0.1%, 0.3%, 0.5%), diverse pore densities (Φ = 15 PPI, 25 PPI, 35 PPI) and heating power (Q = 6 W, 12 W, 18 W) on natural convective heat transfer was discussed. It was found that the Nusselt number increases as the nanofluids mass fraction, but when the mass fraction is 0.3–0.5%, the enhancement ratio of Nusselt number does not increase significantly. For copper foams with the same porosity, as the pore density rises, the Nusselt number enhances more significantly. When pore density is 35 PPI, Nusselt number can be increased by 37.4%. The Nusselt number can be increased by increasing heating power, but the Nusselt number enhancement ratio is greater at smaller heating power.

Article Highlights

  • Finite-thickness metal copper foam is partially filled in the hot surface.

  • Effect of diverse pore densities of metal copper foam is studied.

  • Nusselt number can be increased by up to 37.4% when pore density is 35 PPI.

  • A smaller input power can result in a larger Nusselt number enhancement ratio.

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Abbreviations

A :

Area of the copper, m2

H :

Convection heat transfer coefficient, W⋅m−2⋅K−1

I :

Electric current, A

L :

Wetted perimeter, m

Nu :

Nusselt number

Q:

Heating power, W

Q net :

Effective heating power, W

Q loss :

Heat loss, W

Ra :

Rayleigh number

T H * :

Outer surface temperature of heating end, K

T H :

Inner surface temperature of heating end, K

T C * :

Outer surface temperature of cooling end, K

T C :

Inner surface temperature of cooling end, K

T m :

Qualitative temperature, K

U :

Voltage, V

W :

Cavity thickness, m

ε :

Heat transfer enhancement ratio

δ :

Copper plate thickness, m

λ f :

Thermal conductivity of fluid, W⋅m−1⋅K−1

λ w :

Thermal conductivity of copper plate, W⋅m−1⋅K−1

μ :

Dynamic viscosity of nanofluids, Pa⋅s

ρ :

Density of nanofluids, kg⋅m−3

Φ :

Pore density, PPI

φ :

Nanoparticle volume fraction, %

ω :

Nanoparticle mass fraction, %

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Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by "National Natural Science Foundation of China" (Grant No. 51606214).

Funding

This funding was provided by "National Natural Science Foundation of China" (Grant No. 51606214).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Low-Carbon Energy and Power Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou, 221116, China

    Zhibo Tang, Cong Qi, Liyuan Zhang & Zhen Tian

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  1. Zhibo Tang
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  2. Cong Qi
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  3. Liyuan Zhang
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Correspondence to Cong Qi.

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Tang, Z., Qi, C., Zhang, L. et al. Effect of Metal Foam on Natural Convective Heat Transfer of Nanofluids in a Photothermal Conversion System. Transp Porous Med 142, 599–621 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-022-01761-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11242-022-01761-z

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