The use of porous metals in heat exchangers

Abstract

Heat exchangers are widely used in heat supply systems. To increase the efficiency of heat supply systems, heat exchangers with porous metals are proposed to design. There was a test facility set up to study new types of heat exchangers. The countercurrent flow of heat carriers was activated in those heat exchangers. Freon moved through the heat exchanger pores, and water moved through the inner tubes. It should be noted that the porous materials in the heat exchangers differed in the coefficient of porosity. To be compared, one of the heat exchangers did not contain any porous material. The first test cycle proved the feasibility of using porous metals in heat exchange equipment. Afterwards, a simplified mathematical model of the heat exchanger was compiled. Such an analytical form makes a solution convenient for engineering calculations. Numerical calculations based on this model were compared with the experimental data. Heat transfer intensity of materials with different porosity was compared. This method can be applied in case when the heat exchange surface area is unknown. Moreover, it takes into account the heat capacity and heat of the phase transition of freon, if any.