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Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "J: Thermal Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (17 March 2026) | Viewed by 15415

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jingying Wang

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Guest Editor

School of Energy and Power Engineering, Shandong University, Jinan 250061, China
Interests: computational fluid dynamics; numerical heat transfer; hypersonics; biological fluid mechanics

Dr. Kuang C. Lin

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Guest Editor

Department of Engineering & System Science, National Tsing Hua University, No. 101, Section 2, Kuang-Fu Road, Hsinchu 30013, Taiwan
Interests: computational fluid dynamics; chemical kinetics of low-carbon fuels; aerosol filtration; battery thermal management; hemodynamics
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Dr. Jiaao Hao

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Guest Editor

Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, 11 Yuk Choi Rd, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
Interests: hypersonic flow; hypersonic aerodynamics
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Heat transfer coupling with fluid flow plays a crucial role in many theoretical and practical applications, such as differential equations, combustion, aerospace, automobiles, refrigeration, propulsion, heat exchangers, and nuclear engineering. Over the decades, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been successfully used to solve various problems of conjugate heat transfer and fluid flow on computers, and it has gradually developed into a time-saving and low-cost technique with high fidelity. Particularly, CFD combined with machine learning or artificial intelligence (AI) shows a promising and strong potential of simulating the processes of heat and mass transfer.

This Special Issue aims to feature original research and review articles on the most recent advances in methods, models, and applications of CFD for studying any heat transfer phenomena, and experimental results that support relevant CFD simulations are also acceptable.

Dr. Jingying Wang
Dr. Kuang C. Lin
Dr. Jiaao Hao
Guest Editors

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Keywords

heat transfer
fluid flow
computational fluid dynamics (CFD)
numerical heat transfer
convection
power engineering
heat exchanger
boilers
aerodynamic heating
combustion
cooling
multi-physics
multi-scales
machine learning
artificial intelligence (AI)

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

25 pages, 3649 KB

Open AccessArticle

Comparative Analysis of CFD Simulations and Empirical Studies for a Heat Exchanger in a Dishwasher

by Wojciech Skarka, Maciej Mazur, Damian Kądzielawa and Robert Kubica

Energies 2025, 18(24), 6609; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246609 - 18 Dec 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1014

Abstract

This paper presents a side-by-side study of CFD predictions and experimental measurements for a novel counter-flow heat exchanger installed in the sidewall of a dishwasher (HEBS). The work aims to improve appliance efficiency by transferring heat from discharged hot wastewater to the incoming cold supply. Motivated by sustainability goals and tightening EU energy rules, the research targets the high losses typical of conventional machines. This approach combines detailed ANSYS Fluent 2022R2 simulations with controlled laboratory tests on a bespoke test rig. The measured data show a repeatable rise in the cold-water temperature of roughly 8 K, corresponding to an approximate 15% gain in thermal performance for the heat-recovery stage. While the simulations and experiments efficiently agree based on trends and qualitative behavior, there are noticeable quantitative differences in the total energy transfer, indicating the models need further refinement. The validation carried out here forms a solid basis for design optimization and for reducing energy consumption in household dishwashers. This work overcomes the limitations of previous studies which typically rely on external storage tanks or static heat recovery analysis. The primary novelty of this paper lies in the empirical validation of a high-efficiency heat exchanger integrated into the extremely constrained sidewall volume of the appliance, tested under transient, on-the-fly flow conditions, providing a verified methodology for constrained industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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24 pages, 28672 KB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Measurement and Numerical Computation of Permeability for Additively-Manufactured Heat Pipe Wicks

by Manfredo Guilizzoni, Luigi Vitali, Giovanni Brambati, Roberta Caruana, Emmanuel Caplanne and Stefano Foletti

Energies 2025, 18(24), 6399; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18246399 - 7 Dec 2025

Viewed by 728

Abstract

Heat pipe (HP) performance depends on several interacting physical phenomena, such as phase change and liquid transport within the wick. The latter is strongly affected by the permeability of the porous material, whose accurate evaluation is essential for a reliable prediction of the heat transfer capability. This work investigates the permeability of an additively manufactured aluminum wick by comparing two experimental and two numerical methods, using acetone and ethanol as working fluids. In the first experimental approach, the analytical capillary rise curve was fitted to data obtained through infrared thermography and by monitoring the fluid level decrease in an input reservoir. In the second, the mass flow rate through the samples was directly measured under an imposed pressure difference. Numerical simulations were performed using the Finite Volume Method in OpenFOAM and the Lattice Boltzmann Method in Palabos on computational domains reconstructed from microtomographic scans of a real wick. The permeability values, determined through the Darcy–Forchheimer formulation, were then used to estimate the maximum heat transport capability based on the capillary limit model for representative HP geometries. The results show that all four methods provide consistent permeability estimates, with deviations below

30 %

in the porosity range relevant to real HPs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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24 pages, 14557 KB

Open AccessArticle

Numerical Investigation of Hydrogen Production via Methane Steam Reforming in Tubular Packed Bed Reactors Integrated with Annular Metal Foam Gas Channels

by Yifan Han, Zihui Zhang, Zhen Wang and Guanmin Zhang

Energies 2025, 18(17), 4758; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18174758 - 7 Sep 2025

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1800

Abstract

Methane steam reforming is the most widely adopted hydrogen production technology. To address the challenges associated with the large radial thermal resistance and low mass transfer rates inherent in the tubular packed bed reactors during the MSR process, this study proposes a structural design optimization that integrates annular metal foam gas channels along the inner wall of the reforming tubes. Utilizing multi-physics simulation methods and taking the conventional tubular reactor as a baseline, a comparative analysis was performed on physical parameters that characterize flow behavior, heat transfer, and reaction in the reforming process. The integration of the annular channels induces a radially non-uniform distribution of flow resistance in the tubes. Since the metal foam exhibits lower resistance, the fluid preferentially flows through the annular channels, leading to a diversion effect that enhances both convective heat transfer and mass transfer. The diversion effect redirects the central flow toward the near-wall region, where the higher reactant concentration promotes the reaction. Additionally, the higher thermal conductivity of the metal foam strengthens radial heat transfer, further accelerating the reaction. The effects of operating parameters on performance were also investigated. While a higher inlet velocity tends to hinder the reaction, in tubes integrated with annular channels, it enhances the diversion effect and convective heat transfer. This offsets the adverse impact, maintaining high methane conversion with lower pressure drop and thermal resistance than the conventional tubular reactor does. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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20 pages, 4804 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Aerodynamic Heating Modes in Thermochemical Nonequilibrium Flow for Hypersonic Reentry

by Shuai He, Wei Zhao, Xinyue Dong, Zhuzhu Zhang, Jingying Wang, Xinglian Yang, Shiyue Zhang, Jiaao Hao and Ke Sun

Energies 2025, 18(13), 3417; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18133417 - 29 Jun 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3229

Abstract

Thermochemical nonequilibrium significantly affects the accurate simulation of the aerothermal environment surrounding a hypersonic reentry vehicle entering Earth’s atmosphere during deep space exploration missions. The different heat transfer modes corresponding to each internal energy mode and chemical diffusion have not been sufficiently analyzed. The existing dimensionless correlations for stagnation point aerodynamic heating do not account for thermochemical nonequilibrium effects. This study employs an in-house high-fidelity solver PHAROS (Parallel Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics and Radiation Optimized Solver) to simulate the hypersonic thermochemical nonequilibrium flows over a standard sphere under both super-catalytic and non-catalytic wall conditions. The total stagnation point heat flux and different heating modes, including the translational–rotational, vibrational–electronic, and chemical diffusion heat transfers, are all identified and analyzed. Stagnation point aerodynamic heating correlations have been modified to account for the thermochemical nonequilibrium effects. The results further reveal that translational–rotational and chemical diffusion heat transfers dominate the total aerodynamic heating, while vibrational–electronic heat transfer contributes only about 5%. This study contributes to the understanding of aerodynamic heating principles and thermal protection designs for future hypersonic reentry vehicles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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20 pages, 8024 KB

Open AccessArticle

Morphology and Solidity Optimization of Freeform Surface Turbulators for Heat Exchangers Equipped with Narrow Channels

by Maria Corti, Roberta Caruana, Antonio Di Caterino, Damiano Fustinoni, Pasqualino Gramazio, Luigi Vitali and Manfredo Guilizzoni

Energies 2025, 18(11), 2903; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18112903 - 1 Jun 2025

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1555

Abstract

Improving the thermal performance of compact heat exchangers is a key challenge in the development of energy-efficient systems. This work investigates the use of topology optimization to generate novel surface geometries that enhance thermal efficiency specifically in narrow rectangular channels. A physics-based topology optimization software, ToffeeX, has been employed to explore turbulator designs within defined spatial and material constraints. The optimization process has focused on maximizing heat transfer, with particular attention on the effect of solid volumetric fraction. Simulations have been carried out using the CFD tools of the optimization software to evaluate the thermal behavior of the proposed configurations. Among the tested designs, a solid volumetric fraction of 8% has led to the most effective solution, achieving a 25% increase in outlet fluid temperature compared to a conventional ribbed reference configuration. Validation using CFD simulations with another package, OpenFOAM, has confirmed these results, showing consistent trends across methodologies. These findings highlight the potential of combining topology optimization with numerical simulation to develop advanced geometries for heat transfer enhancement. The proposed approach supports the development of more efficient and compact heat exchangers, paving the way for future experimental studies and broader industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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23 pages, 17741 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Non-Uniform Airflow on Two-Phase Parallel-Flow Heat Exchanger in Data Cabinet Cooling System

by Hao Cheng, Tongzhi Yang, Quan Cheng, Yifan Zhao, Leixin Wang and Weixing Yuan

Energies 2025, 18(4), 923; https://doi.org/10.3390/en18040923 - 14 Feb 2025

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1621

Abstract

The energy consumption of data center cooling systems is rapidly increasing, necessitating urgent improvements in cooling system performance. This study investigates a pump-driven two-phase cooling system (PTCS) utilizing a parallel-flow heat exchanger (PFHE) as an evaporator, positioned at the rear of server cabinets. The findings indicate that enhancing the vapor quality at the PFHE outlet improves the overall cooling performance. However, airflow non-uniformity induces premature localized overheating, restricting further increases in vapor quality. For PFHEs operating with a two-phase outlet condition, inlet air temperature non-uniformity has a relatively minor impact on the cooling capacity but significantly affects the drop in pressure. Specifically, higher upstream air temperatures increase the pressure drop by 7%, whereas higher downstream air temperatures reduce it by 7.7%. The implementation of multi-pass configurations effectively mitigates localized overheating caused by airflow non-uniformity, suppresses the decline in cooling capacity, and enhances the operational vapor quality of the cooling system. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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20 pages, 4443 KB

Open AccessArticle

Heat Exchange Analysis of Brushless Direct Current Motors

by Maciej Mazur, Wojciech Skarka, Maciej Kobielski, Damian Kądzielawa, Robert Kubica, Clemens Haas and Hubert Unterberger

Energies 2024, 17(24), 6469; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17246469 - 23 Dec 2024

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3620

Abstract

The brushless DC (BLDC) motor is crucial in a variety of industrial and consumer applications due to its efficiency and precise control. This study investigates the heat transfer and cooling mechanisms in liquid-cooled BLDC motors in dishwashers, which are fundamental to maintaining optimal operating temperatures. Elevated temperatures can reduce operational efficiency, emphasizing the importance of effective heat dissipation. Liquid cooling proves to be very effective and offers advantages over air cooling by providing even temperature distribution and more accurate temperature control. Integrating liquid cooling systems into dishwasher designs provides a viable solution for managing motor temperatures while preheating dishwashing water. Using existing water infrastructure, these systems dissipate heat generated during motor operation, increasing energy efficiency and reliability, as analyzed using computational fluid dynamics (CFDs). The aim of this study is to optimize thermal management strategies in BLDC motors, particularly in dishwashers, by filling a critical gap in the existing literature. The goal of this comprehensive analysis is to develop resistant and efficient cooling solutions tailored to dishwasher environments, ultimately extending the life of BLDC motors in home appliances while using heat transfer to preheat water for wash cycles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Study for Heat Transfer)

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