Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement

This study numerically investigates sub-cooled flow boiling heat transfer and hydraulic performance in horizontal tubes filled with metal foam, using nano fluids as the working medium. Key measurable parameters, such as heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop, are analyzed across various m...

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Main Authors: Aniket A. Dhavale, Mandar M. Lele
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-06-01
Series:Measurement: Energy
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950345025000090
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author Aniket A. Dhavale
Mandar M. Lele
author_facet Aniket A. Dhavale
Mandar M. Lele
author_sort Aniket A. Dhavale
collection DOAJ
description This study numerically investigates sub-cooled flow boiling heat transfer and hydraulic performance in horizontal tubes filled with metal foam, using nano fluids as the working medium. Key measurable parameters, such as heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop, are analyzed across various metal foam configurations, including porosity (80 %, 85 %, 90 %) and pore density (10, 20, 30 PPI), under varying mass flow rates (210–400 kg/m2s), heat flux (100–230 kW/m2), and inlet temperatures (10–80 °C). The HTC, a critical metric for quantifying energy transfer efficiency, reaches peak values of 25 kW/m2K for water and 22.5 kW/m2K and 19 kW/m2K for CuO/H2O and Al2O3/H2O nano fluids, respectively. Pressure drop, another essential performance metric, is strongly influenced by the metal foam's structure and nano fluid concentration, with denser foams exhibiting the highest pressure losses. The thermal performance index (TPI), which integrates energy efficiency improvements by balancing heat transfer enhancement with the energy losses due to pressure drop, consistently exceeds one for both water and nano fluids, with water achieving a TPI of 1.5. This indicates measurable energy efficiency improvements, highlighting the potential of optimized foam-nano fluid combinations to enhance heat exchanger performance. The numerical models used in this study are validated against experimental data, demonstrating strong agreement for both HTC and pressure drop predictions. These results offer a foundation for designing heat exchangers with a focus on maximizing energy efficiency through quantifiable improvements in heat transfer performance and pressure loss reduction.
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spelling doaj-art-2be62d25fce846ad91a4663f42b007ce2025-08-20T02:05:12ZengElsevierMeasurement: Energy2950-34502025-06-01610004210.1016/j.meaene.2025.100042Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancementAniket A. Dhavale0Mandar M. Lele1Department of Technology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Ganesh Khind Road, Pune, 411007, Maharashtra, India; Corresponding author.Dr.Vishwanath Karad MIT WPU, Paud Rd, Kothrud, 411038, Maharashtra, Pune, IndiaThis study numerically investigates sub-cooled flow boiling heat transfer and hydraulic performance in horizontal tubes filled with metal foam, using nano fluids as the working medium. Key measurable parameters, such as heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and pressure drop, are analyzed across various metal foam configurations, including porosity (80 %, 85 %, 90 %) and pore density (10, 20, 30 PPI), under varying mass flow rates (210–400 kg/m2s), heat flux (100–230 kW/m2), and inlet temperatures (10–80 °C). The HTC, a critical metric for quantifying energy transfer efficiency, reaches peak values of 25 kW/m2K for water and 22.5 kW/m2K and 19 kW/m2K for CuO/H2O and Al2O3/H2O nano fluids, respectively. Pressure drop, another essential performance metric, is strongly influenced by the metal foam's structure and nano fluid concentration, with denser foams exhibiting the highest pressure losses. The thermal performance index (TPI), which integrates energy efficiency improvements by balancing heat transfer enhancement with the energy losses due to pressure drop, consistently exceeds one for both water and nano fluids, with water achieving a TPI of 1.5. This indicates measurable energy efficiency improvements, highlighting the potential of optimized foam-nano fluid combinations to enhance heat exchanger performance. The numerical models used in this study are validated against experimental data, demonstrating strong agreement for both HTC and pressure drop predictions. These results offer a foundation for designing heat exchangers with a focus on maximizing energy efficiency through quantifiable improvements in heat transfer performance and pressure loss reduction.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950345025000090Subcooled flow boiling nanofluid metalFoam thermal performance index
spellingShingle Aniket A. Dhavale
Mandar M. Lele
Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
Measurement: Energy
Subcooled flow boiling nanofluid metal
Foam thermal performance index
title Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
title_full Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
title_fullStr Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
title_full_unstemmed Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
title_short Numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
title_sort numerical simulation of subcooled flow boiling of nanofluids in metal foam embedded tubes for performance enhancement
topic Subcooled flow boiling nanofluid metal
Foam thermal performance index
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2950345025000090
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AT mandarmlele numericalsimulationofsubcooledflowboilingofnanofluidsinmetalfoamembeddedtubesforperformanceenhancement