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Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid

Publication ,  Journal Article
Combelles, L; Lorente, S; Anderson, R; Bejan, A
Published in: Journal of Applied Physics
January 1, 2012

This paper documents the time-dependent thermal interaction between a fluid stream configured as a plane tree of varying complexity embedded in a conducting solid with finite volume and insulated boundaries. The time scales of the convection-conduction phenomenon are identified. Two-dimensional and three-dimensional configurations are simulated numerically. The number of length scales of the tree architecture varies from one to four. The results show that the heat transfer density increases, and the time of approach to equilibrium decreases as the complexity of the tree designs increases. These results are then formulated in the classical notation of energy storage by sensible heating, which shows that the effective number of heat transfer units increases as the complexity of the tree design increases. The complexity of heat transfer designs in many applications is constrained by first cost and operating cost considerations. This work provides a fundamental basis for objective evaluation of cost and performance tradeoffs in thermal design of energy systems with complexity as an unconstrained parameter that can be actively varied over a broad range to determine the optimum system design. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.

Duke Scholars

Published In

Journal of Applied Physics

DOI

ISSN

0021-8979

Publication Date

January 1, 2012

Volume

111

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • Applied Physics
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences
 

Citation

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Combelles, L., Lorente, S., Anderson, R., & Bejan, A. (2012). Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid. Journal of Applied Physics, 111(1). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3671672
Combelles, L., S. Lorente, R. Anderson, and A. Bejan. “Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid.” Journal of Applied Physics 111, no. 1 (January 1, 2012). https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3671672.
Combelles L, Lorente S, Anderson R, Bejan A. Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid. Journal of Applied Physics. 2012 Jan 1;111(1).
Combelles, L., et al. “Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid.” Journal of Applied Physics, vol. 111, no. 1, Jan. 2012. Scopus, doi:10.1063/1.3671672.
Combelles L, Lorente S, Anderson R, Bejan A. Tree-shaped fluid flow and heat storage in a conducting solid. Journal of Applied Physics. 2012 Jan 1;111(1).
Journal cover image

Published In

Journal of Applied Physics

DOI

ISSN

0021-8979

Publication Date

January 1, 2012

Volume

111

Issue

1

Related Subject Headings

  • Applied Physics
  • 51 Physical sciences
  • 49 Mathematical sciences
  • 40 Engineering
  • 09 Engineering
  • 02 Physical Sciences
  • 01 Mathematical Sciences