Abstract
A numerical investigation of fluid flow and heat transfer through thermal spray formed metal foam heat exchangers is presented. Experimentally obtained fluid flow and heat transfer parameters are used in the simulations. Analytically obtained values of effective thermal conductivity are used to model heat transfer. A 3D CFD model was created for a metal foam heat exchanger with a square cross-section. The external walls were deposited on the foam using a wire-arc process. The channel walls of the foam were exposed to a constant temperature of 400 K and an air flow with an inlet velocity of 2 m/s. The model was verified by comparing sample results to experiments. The effect of the foam on heat transfer was then studied by varying thermal conductivity values.
