Numerical Investigation of Zigzag Bending-Angle Channel Effects on Thermal Hydraulic Performance of Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger

  • Nyein Nyein AYE ,
  • Withun HEMSUWAN ,
  • Pichitra UANGPAIROJ ,
  • Chalothorn THUMTHAE
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  • School of Mechanical Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand

Online published: 2024-01-16

Copyright

Science Press, Institute of Engineering Thermophysics, CAS and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2023

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of zigzag-flow channel bending angle in printed circuit heat exchangers (PCHEs) using a computational fluid dynamics method with ANSYS-FLUENT simulation. The three-dimensional model of PCHE with a 15° curved, zigzag channel was conducted for preliminary validation. The comparisons between the CFD simulation results and the experimental data showed good agreement with some discrepancies in the heat transfer and pressure drop results. In addition, different bending angle configurations (0°, 3° to 30°) of zigzag channels were analyzed to obtain better thermal-hydraulic performance of the zigzag channel PCHE under different inlet mass flow rates. The criteria of heat transfer and frictional factor were applied to evaluate the thermal-hydraulic performance of the PCHE. The results showed that the 6° and 9° bending channel provided good thermal-hydraulic performance. New correlations were developed using the 6° and 9° bending channel angles in PCHE designs to predict the Nusselt number and friction factor.

Cite this article

Nyein Nyein AYE , Withun HEMSUWAN , Pichitra UANGPAIROJ , Chalothorn THUMTHAE . Numerical Investigation of Zigzag Bending-Angle Channel Effects on Thermal Hydraulic Performance of Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger[J]. Journal of Thermal Science, 2024 , 33(1) : 56 -69 . DOI: 10.1007/s11630-023-1911-y

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