Analytical prediction of the maximum temperature of non-uniform heated surface with channel cooling

Active cooling of aircraft skin has garnered significant attention from researchers in recent years due to the increasing flight speeds. The determination of the maximum temperature plays a crucial role in the design of active cooling systems as it dictates the selection of suitable materials for aircraft skin. This research presents two analytical models for predicting surface temperatures in aircraft skin with active cooling channels: one for densely arranged channels and another for sparsely arranged channels. The application criteria of these two models are obtained. The analytical models offer several advantages, including handling non-uniform heat fluxes and providing direct predictions of maximum temperature and its location. Numerical simulations validate these models, demonstrating their accurate estimation capabilities across various solid materials, Reynolds numbers, and thermal conductivities. This investigation lays the foundation for rapid and cost-effective design of optimal cooling channels based on solid thermal conductivity, cooling flow rate, channel spacing, and temperature limits under non-uniform heat flows. Furthermore, an examination of channel aspect ratios reveals that larger ratios result in lower heated surface temperatures. Overall, these analytical temperature prediction models serve as efficient tools for selecting appropriate design parameters for active cooling channels.