variavel0=<b>MARCELO CUNHA DA SILVA</b> - macsilva@yahoo.com UNICAMP
<b>Marcelo Moreira Ganzarolli</b> - ganza@fem.unicamp.br UNICAMP
<b>Abstract.</b> The work presents the determination of the optimal spacing of plates for which the maximum transfer of heat in an arrangement of horizontal channels cooled by air in laminar flow. The plates present uniform internal generation of heat and The Reynolds Number based on the space between the plates (ReD) are 20 < ReD < 800. The method consists of varying the distance of the plates of the channels, keeping the total difference of pressure fixed, and to determine for which spacing occurs the maximum removal of heat of the arrangement without exceeding a maximum value of temperature. Curves of heat transfer removal and maximum temperature are obtained for differents values of condutivity and plate thickness. The governing equations are solved using finite volume technique with Power-Law interpolating scheme and SIMPLE algorithm. The results shown that occurs a reduction of the removed heat of the array when the mechanism of conjugated heat transfer in the board and the fluid in comparison of boards with constant heat flux at the surface. It was observed that the increase of the board condutivity result in an increase of heat removed of the set.
<b>Keywords.</b> forced convection, optimization, numerical method.