Numerical simulation of laminar convection heat transfer from an array of circular perforated fins

Abstract

<em>The present paper reports the laminar fluid flow and heat transfer of a heated array of circular-perforated and solid fins mounted over a flat surface using the finite-volume method. One to four circular cross-sectional perforations are made along the length of the fins. The SIMPLE algorithm is used for pressure-velocity coupling and the second order upwind technique is employed to discretize the governing equations. The simulations are done for a range of Reynolds number, 100 < Re < 350, corresponds to the flow velocity of 0.37-1.28 m/s. The average Nusselt number, the average friction factor coefficient, and the perforated-fin effectiveness are calculated. The results demonstrated that for any Reynolds number, the heat transfer decreases and the friction factor increases with the number of perforations. It was observed that the fin with circular perforation had a higher effectiveness in comparison with the rectangular-perforated fins.</em>