CHAPTER 12

CONCLUSIONS

• It was verified as a good agreement among the experimental and the CFD analysis
(ANSYS Fluid Flow CFX -Workbench) for laminar regimes in all the experiments.
Thus, it can be concluded that the methodology and the experimental equipment used
in this work are consistent and the proposed objective was achieved.
• CFD Simulation and followed experimentation have revealed that perforated fins with
the big size of perforation can be applied efficiently to augment the rate of heat
transfer. As perforation to the fins allows more amount of outside cold air get sucked
inside from the base and comes in contact with the heated fin surface in the turns
which gets heated and goes out from top resulting faster cooling the fin surface.
• Improvement in the performance of the perforated fin array than its corresponding
solid fin array will start to occur when the radius of perforation (r) is more than the
thickness of the fin (r > t), for this case fin thickness t=3mm enhancement will start
beyond 6mm diameter of the perforation. Hence, smaller size of perforation (when r <
t) does not improve the fin performance. Heat transfer rate (q) consecutively average
heat transfer coefficient slightly decreases for smaller size of size of perforation i e.
when r < t. It may be due formation of hot layers inside the small holes, no passage
for convective motion of air all over, resulting formation of the stagnant layer around
the fin surface.
• CFD simulation and succeeding experimental analysis have revealed that average
heat flux and average heat transfer coefficient of the non perforated fin arrays with
cross fin at center is less than that of non perforated without cross fin at the center for
tested sizes of perforation and fin parameters. It may be due to the restricted passage
for movement of air. Hence, adding a cross fin at the center to a fin array with or
without perforation for shorter spacing is not advisable.
• The experimental data have shown the invariability of local Nusselt number with the
heat flux in the laminar system of the fluid flow.
• Also, it discloses that the heat transfer rate subsequently heat transfer coefficient can
further be improved by accelerating the speed of the surrounding medium by means
of forced convection.
• The natural convection heat transfer regimes of the fin arrays can be analyzed
successfully by CFD simulation, ANSYS Fluid Flow (CFX) –Workbench in specific.
• The results of the perforated fin arrays with and without cross fin, non perforated fin
arrays with and without cross fin at center shows that the average heat transfer
coefficient rises with increasing with heat input which has proved by both experimental
as well as CFD analysis.
• From the flow visualization studies carried experimentally as well as viewing the
flow under the 3D viewer of CFX it confirmed that flow obtained is of a single
chimney pattern. This is the most favorable from the heat transfer standpoint for all
types of fin arrays.
• Studies on the perforated fin arrays without cross fin at center with varying the
material and size of the perforation and subsequent Taguchi and ANOVAs analysis
reveals that size of the perforation has a major contribution to enhance the heat
dissipation rate and secondly the thermal conductivity of the fin.
• Experimental and simulation results for the fin arrays with and without perforation
and with and without cross fin, taken overall, in a good agreement with the
correlation equations are proposed.
Finally, one of the most important benefits of the utilization of perforated fins
without cross fin (increased porosity ratio) is reduction of fin’s weight. Low weight
certifies saving material of fins and related equipments such as heat sinks. From the
experimental trials new design of the fine structure with perforation can be maximize the
rate of heat transfer.