Mixed convective heat-transfers in a porous channel with sintered copper beads

For a fixed porosity, a higher flow rate causes an increase in the efficiency of the heat exchange between the fluid and the solid phases for the heat sink. As the porosity of the sintered porous medium decreases, the specific contact surface of the fluid increases. This causes a higher heat-transfer rate between the fluid and the solid phases for a constant flow-rate. The sintered test section is made of three diameters of copper beads of 0.71, 0.84 or 1.15 mm. The characteristics of the wall temperature-distribution with a constant heat-flux were measured. This study also reveals the local wall temperature-distributions and heat-transfer coefficients for various Reynolds numbers and heat fluxes. (c) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.