Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux

Xing, Xianghai; Wu, Zhigen; Du, Yanping; Lu, Wei; Wu, Yupeng; Xiong, Zhibo

doi:10.3390/en18030505

Open AccessArticle

Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux

by

Xianghai Xing

¹,

Zhigen Wu

²,

Yanping Du

³,

Wei Lu

^1,*,

Yupeng Wu

⁴

and

Zhibo Xiong

¹

School of Energy and Power Engineering, University of Shanghai for Science and Technology, Shanghai 200093, China

²

State Key Laboratory of Pollution Control and Resource Reuse, College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China

³

School of Engineering, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YW, UK

⁴

Faculty of Engineering, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Energies 2025, 18(3), 505; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030505

Submission received: 16 December 2024 / Revised: 7 January 2025 / Accepted: 10 January 2025 / Published: 23 January 2025

(This article belongs to the Section J: Thermal Management)

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Abstract

An analytical solution is conducted on forced convection in a metal foam partially filled plate channel under asymmetric heat flux conditions, with the aim of optimizing heat transfer performance. The Darcy–Brinkman model and the local thermal non-equilibrium (LTNE) model are employed to predict heat transfer characteristics under varying heat flux ratios (q₁/q₂). Key parameters such as the free zone height, pore density, and thermal conductivity ratio significantly influence heat transfer efficiency. The results indicate that the height of the free region has a greater impact on the flow distribution than porosity and pore density. When the non-dimensional height of the free region is 0.3, the flow fraction in the free region reaches 80%. When the free zone height is H = 0.1, the heat exchanger heat transfer coefficient reaches its maximum value, and the combination of copper (Cu) and R134a refrigerant demonstrates superior convective heat transfer performance compared to the empty channel. Their optimization can lead to substantial improvements in the heat transfer effectiveness of the channel.

Keywords: analytical solution; metal foam; asymmetric heat flux

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MDPI and ACS Style

Xing, X.; Wu, Z.; Du, Y.; Lu, W.; Wu, Y.; Xiong, Z. Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux. Energies 2025, 18, 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030505

AMA Style

Xing X, Wu Z, Du Y, Lu W, Wu Y, Xiong Z. Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux. Energies. 2025; 18(3):505. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030505

Chicago/Turabian Style

Xing, Xianghai, Zhigen Wu, Yanping Du, Wei Lu, Yupeng Wu, and Zhibo Xiong. 2025. "Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux" Energies 18, no. 3: 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030505

APA Style

Xing, X., Wu, Z., Du, Y., Lu, W., Wu, Y., & Xiong, Z. (2025). Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux. Energies, 18(3), 505. https://doi.org/10.3390/en18030505

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

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Analytical Solution of Thermal Performance in Metal Foam Partially Filled Channel with Asymmetric Wall Heat Flux

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