Correcting and extending the Boomsma–Poulikakos effective thermal conductivity model for three-dimensional, fluid-saturated metal foams

Abstract

Metal foams have emerged as promising materials for use in heat sink and heat exchanger applications. Boomsma and Poulikakos put forward an important and widely adopted model for the effective thermal conductivity of metal foams; however, the model contains errors in its development and presentation. Whether partially or fully corrected, the model does not provide accurate predictions of the effective thermal conductivity of metal foams. Because the model fails even when corrected, its mechanistic basis is reviewed, and an extension to the approach is put forward to account for ligament orientation in calculating effective thermal conductivity. This modification provides predictions of k eff that are much more accurate than the original Boomsma–Poulikakos model.