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Effect of multiple pairs of vortex generators on the thermal performance of plate fin heat sink

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Abstract

In this paper, the heat transfer characteristics of multiple pairs of vortex generators (VG) mounted on vertical plate fins of plate fin heat sink (PFHS) are evaluated using computational fluid dynamic simulations. The delta winglet pairs are used as longitudinal VGs, and they are mounted one after the other in the axial direction. Critical design parameters for the double pair of VGs (DPVGs) are identified, and a design of experiment-based simulations is carried out to develop a response surface model for Nusselt number and thermal hydraulic performance parameter. Results show winglet length is a critical design parameter compared with winglet height, and the axial inter VG distance between VG pairs plays a crucial role in improving the heat transfer characteristics. The optimum inter VG distance for a double pair of VG is evaluated, and it is 2.2 to 3 times the length of the delta-winglet. Thermal hydraulic performance of PFHS with double pair of VG is 1.49 times higher than that of plain PFHS. Finally, the variation of heat transfer characteristics against velocity is also evaluated for the PFHS with a DPVG.

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Abbreviations

A HT :

Total area of heat transfer surface (m2)

A c :

Cross-sectional area of plate fins (m2)

CFDN :

Common flow down

CFU :

Common flow up

C p :

Specific heat capacity at constant pressure (J/kg/K)

D h :

Hydraulic diameter of PFHS channel (m)

DoE :

Design of experiment

ΔP :

Pressure difference between inlet and outlet (Pa)

DPVG :

Double pair of vortex generators

Δx :

Axial distance between consecutive VG pairs (m)

f :

Friction factor

g :

Gap between winglet pair on vertical plate (m)

H :

Height of delta winglet (m)

H f :

Height of fin (m)

HTC :

Heat transfer coefficient (W/m2/K)

k :

Thermal conductivity of fluid (W/m/K)

ks :

Thermal conductivity of solid (W/m/K)

L :

Length of delta winglet (m)

Nu :

Nusselt number

Nu s, f s :

Nu and f of baseline PFHS

p :

Fluid pressure (Pa)

PFHS :

Plate fin heat sink

P r :

Prandtl number

q :

Heat flux (W/m2)

ρ :

Density (kg/m3)

Re :

Reynolds number

Se :

Secondary flow intensity factor

SPVG :

Single pair of vortex generators

THP :

Thermal hydraulic performance

Tin :

Inlet temperature (K)

Tout :

Outlet temperature (K)

TPVG :

Triple pair of vortex generators

Tw :

Average base plate temperature (K)

u :

Flow velocity (m/s)

VG :

Vortex generators

Wc :

Channel width (m)

ṁ :

Mass flow rate (kg/s)

μ :

Dynamic viscosity (Nsm−2)

β :

Winglet attack angle (deg)

α :

Coefficients of response surface model

δ :

Plate fin thickness (m)

ω n :

Vorticity in the normal direction of cross-section (1/s)

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Acknowledgments

The author thanks Dr. Krishnan A. S., Associate Professor, the Coimbatore Institute of Technology, for the valuable discussions on heat exchangers. The author also thanks the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Cranfield, Bedfordshire, UK

    Mani Sekaran Santhanakrishnan

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  1. Mani Sekaran Santhanakrishnan
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Correspondence to Mani Sekaran Santhanakrishnan.

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Mani S. Santhanakrishnan received the B.Tech. degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the Madras Institute of Technology, Chennai, and the M.Eng. degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India. He has worked in the aerospace industry for 12 years on various capacities. He has completed his Ph.D. in the field of Topology Optimization at the University of Greenwich, United Kingdom, in 2018 and is currently working as a research fellow in Cranfield University, UK. He has authored two patents, nine conference papers, and four journal articles. His research interests are engineering optimization, heat transfer, aerodynamics, CFD, and turbomachinery.

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Santhanakrishnan, M.S. Effect of multiple pairs of vortex generators on the thermal performance of plate fin heat sink. J Mech Sci Technol 37, 3185–3195 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0542-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-023-0542-2

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