Heat Transfer Design Methodology Treating a Heat Exchange Device and Its Fluid-Mover Partner as a Single System

ABSTRACT

When a heat exchange device and its fluid-mover partner are modeled simultaneously, as a single system, the predicted performance of the device can be substantially different from modeling the heat exchange device separately. This conclusion is based on realistic models of the underlying heat transfer and fluid flow phenomena, on the rotational motions occurring within the fluid mover, and on the geometry of both the heat transfer device and the fluid mover. Here, an unsteady three-dimensional model was implemented by numerical simulation as a case study of a thermal management system that is frequently encountered with electronic equipment. As a comparison case, the same thermal management system was evaluated using a common design method where the fluid mover (fan) in the system is removed and replaced by a prescribed magnitude and distribution of fluid flow (the fan curve). It was found that the local and overall heat transfer and the fluid flow delivered to the heat exchanger were significantly overpredicted by the simplified design model relative to those from a more rigorous approach. A broad conclusion of the present work is that better results can be obtained when the heat exchange device and the fluid mover are modeled simultaneously.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

John M. Gorman

John M. Gorman is a research associate at the University of Minnesota. His research encompasses all facets of mechanical engineering, and his teaching is focused on modeling and numerical simulation. He has published 40 papers in archival journals.

Eph M. Sparrow

Eph M. Sparrow is a professor at the University of Minnesota. He has worked on heat transfer problems for more than 60 years, starting at the Raytheon Company, continuing at the NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory, and ending up at the University of Minnesota. His current interests are industrial applications and real-world problems. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering.

John P. Abraham

John P. Abraham is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of St. Thomas in St. Paul, MN. His research activities extend broadly over several facets of heat transfer, climatology, fluid flow, biomedical engineering, and renewable energy. His work in heat transfer is distinguished by its interdisciplinary nature, especially with climatology and biomedical engineering. He is an established spokesman for scientists and engineers who are concerned about the long-term effects of climate change on sustainability.

W. J. Minkowycz

W. J. Minkowycz is the James P. Hartnett professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Illinois at Chicago. He has performed seminal research in several branches of heat transfer and has published about 175 papers in archival journals. He is also editor-in-chief of the International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer and the founding editor of Numerical Heat Transfer.