Hybrid grid and tree structures for cooling and mechanical strength

In this paper, we show how vascular design controls the cooling and mechanical performance of a solid square slab heated uniformly and loaded with uniform pressure. The vascular structure is a combination of one grid and several peripheral trees. The designs of trees with grid canopies provide greater robustness than purely dendritic designs. The coolant fluid enters the slab from the center or from the rim, cools the slab to an allowable temperature level, and then exits. Numerical simulations show the flow of the fluid, heat, and stresses. The results indicate that the lowest peak temperature and lowest flow resistance can be achieved with radial channels, and the lowest peak stress can be achieved with trees with canopies. The peak stresses are the lowest when the configuration is a hybrid grid and tree design. There is an optimal ratio of the grid length divided by the slab length for each specified fraction of the fluid volume occupied by the radial channels. When the heating is concentrated in a small area, the peak temperature is smaller when the heated spot is closer to the center of the slab. © 2011 American Institute of Physics.

Duke Scholars

Author Adrian Bejan Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materia ...