Eventos Anais de eventos
COBEM 2023
27th International Congress of Mechanical Engineering
Analysis of Optimal Fin Spacing for Enhanced Heat Transfer in Horizontal Tubes
Submission Author:
Sandi Souza , RN
Co-Authors:
Sandi Souza, Thiago Cardoso de Souza
Presenter: Thiago Cardoso de Souza
doi://10.26678/ABCM.COBEM2023.COB2023-0673
Abstract
This study focuses on the coupling between natural convection phenomena and turbulent internal flow in a horizontal tube with annular fins. By considering a well-known configuration, this investigation aims to determine the optimal fin spacing for maximizing heat transfer. Seven configurations with fin spacing of 2.5 mm, 3.5 mm, 5 mm, 7.5 mm, 10 mm, 15 mm and 20 mm were analyzed, taking into account axial heat conduction and finned tube performance. For all cases investigated, a geometric model with three domains was used, consisting of two fluid domains (heated water as the internal forced flow through the main duct and air in the outside region) and a solid domain composed of a finned steel tube. The governing differential equations were solved using a commercial CFD solver. Through the variation of the spacing between the applied fins, the existence of an optimal fin configuration associated with maximum heat transfer, dependent on the optimum distance between the fins, was verified. This work complements a previous investigation that observed optimized conditions for heat transfer via natural convection between the finned tubular configuration and the quiescent external environment through a series of numerical experiments performed using simplified boundary conditions, e.g., a constant temperature prescribed at the tube wall. The results show that thermal changes vary according to the fin position and spacing between the fins. A more realistic modeling of the temperature distribution in the fluid and the appropriate consideration of heat conduction effects confirmed the existence of conditions for maximum heat transfer depending on the distance between the applied fins. The study provides valuable insights to optimize the design of finned tubes for enhanced heat transfer performance in practical applications.
Keywords
Numerical analysis, finned tube, Heat transfer
