Critical review on thermohydraulic performance enhancement in channel flows: A comparative study of pin fins

Abstract

Effective thermal management is critical for optimising device performance, extending product longevity, saving energy, protecting the environment, and avoiding thermal failures. The above highlights the importance of studying heat transfer enhancement mechanisms such as pin fins. Pin fins are widely used as a passive cooling technique that may be deployed to improve heat transfer performance for different applications. These include gas turbine cooling, solar air heater ducts, and microchannel cooling, all of which have been demonstrated with notable heat transfer and pressure drops across the systems when pin fins are used, accentuating their effectiveness. The optimisation of pin-fin shapes and their arrangements play a significant role in improving flow structure and heat transfer mechanisms and minimising pressure drops. This study aims to critically review the existing literature on pin fins and explore their thermohydraulic performance balancing heat transfer, energy consumption, and system efficiency in relation to different pin-fin shapes and arrangements. By analyzing and comparing the impact of different pin-fin shapes on overall system performance, this review intends to provide valuable insights to the research community for the design of efficient and effective cooling systems. Furthermore, this review goes beyond a simple review by critically examining the strengths and weaknesses of different pin-fin configurations and their impact on different flow types and heat transfer mechanisms. By providing a critique of the existing knowledge and identifying research gaps, this review contributes to the advancement of thermal management strategies for sustainable and renewable energy applications.