Finned Tube Radiator Heat Transfer CFD Simulation, ANSYS Fluent Training

Description

Description

The problem simulates heat transfer inside a finned tube radiator using ANSYS Fluent software. We perform this CFD project and investigate it by CFD analysis.

The present model is designed in three dimensions using the Design Modeler software. The model includes a symmetrical radiator, which is semi-drawn due to its symmetrical geometric structure and avoids heavy calculations.

This radiator has an air inlet and outlet sections on both sides. Also, three pipes have been designed inside this radiator to pass water flow. On the body of each of the internal pipes, 22 rows of fins are used.

The meshing of the model was done using ANSYS Meshing software. The element number is equal to 2120802.

Radiator Methodology

The working mechanism of these radiators is such that the flow of hot water passes through the pipes inside the radiator; on the other hand, the airflow also passes through the pipes.

In this way, the airflow passes through the pipes carrying the hot flow, receiving their heat, and as a result, hot air flow is transferred to the outside environment.

In this simulation, hot water flows at a speed of 0.1 m/s, and a temperature of 343.15 K flows through three pipes inside the radiator, and air flows at a speed of 3 ms-1 and a temperature of 293.15 K from It passes over this pipe.

To increase the amount of heat transfer inside the radiator, the amount of contact surface between cold air and hot water flow has been increased by using fins, and as a result, 22 rows of fins have been installed on each pipe carrying hot water flow.

This work investigates heat transfer quality inside the radiator by applying fins on the inner pipes. Moreover, the standard k-epsilon model and energy equation are used to solve turbulent fluid equations and calculate temperature distribution inside the domain.

Radiator Conclusion

At the end of the solution process, two and three-dimensional contours related to velocity, pressure, and temperature are obtained. The temperature contour shows that the airflow passing over the tubes where hot water flows absorb heat and leaves the domain with a higher temperature.