Optimization of configurations to enhance heat transfer from a longitudinal fin exposed to natural convection and radiation

Abstract

In the present work, a computational fluid dynamics analysis has been carried out for analysing heat transfer from a longitudinal fin with step change. For the aforementioned problem, heat is transferred by conduction through the fin along its length and dissipated from the fin surface via natural convection to the ambient and thermal radiation to the surrounding. For a given volume or mass, the total amount of heat dissipated from the fin surface, fin effectiveness and fin efficiency have been determined for two novel fin profiles and the results have been compared with that of conventional rectangular fin (CRF). Numerical calculations have been carried out for five different cases. It has been concluded that novel fin configurations dissipate more heat and produce higher fin efficiency than the CRF profile. The rectangular fin with single-step change has been found to be the most efficient fin profile in terms of maximum heat loss and fin efficiency. The optimum fin dissipated ∼3.4% more heat and provided 2% higher efficiency than the CRF profile. Some recommendations have been made about the potential application areas of proposed fin configurations.