Title: Fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics within a rectangular microchannel array of different manifold shapes - modelisation and optimisation using CFD and response surface methodology

Authors: Krishna Kant; Satyender Singh; Prashant Dhiman

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Invertis University, Bareilly (U.P.) – 243 123, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Delhi-110040, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Institute of Technology, Hamirpur (H.P.) – 177005, India

Abstract: Different manifold shapes of microchannel device are investigated for the pressure drop characteristics under the effect of varying microchannel depth, width and spacing. The response surface methodology is applied to optimise the operating conditions of different microchannel systems. Four operating parameters, the channel width, depth, spacing and the inlet Reynolds number are considered in this study. The individual effects of these operating parameters and the combined effects of multiple operating conditions on pressure drop characteristics are examined using CFD. The semi-elliptical manifold shapes results the high level of fluid flow uniformity within microchannels and lower pressure drop. The maximum percentage reduction in the pressure drop across the microchannel device is 70%, obtained for semi-elliptical manifold shape as compared to other. The heat transfer analysis is also carried out in the extent of the study.

Keywords: microchannels; pressure drop; fluid flow; channels; heat transfer.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2018.089499

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2018 Vol.18 No.1, pp.19 - 32

Received: 11 Aug 2015
Accepted: 15 Aug 2016
Published online: 29 Jan 2018 *

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