Thermal performance of a circular tube filled with a high porous material

This paper describes the heat transfer and flow characteristics of a heat exchanger tube filled with a high porous material. Fine copper wire (diameter: 0.5 mm) was inserted in a circular tube dominated by thermal conduction and forced convection. The porosity was from 0.98 to 1.0. Working fluid was air. Hydraulic equivalent diameter was cited as the characteristic length in Nusselt number and Reynolds number. Nusselt number and friction factor were expressed as functions of Reynolds number and porosity. Thermal performance was evaluated by the ratio of Nusselt number with and without a high porous material and the entropy generation. It was recognized that the high porous material was effective in low Reynolds number and the Reynolds number which minimized the entropy generation, existed. (author)