The optimal spacing between horizontal cylinders in a fixed volume cooled by natural convection

• Published in: International journal of heat and mass transfer Vol. 38; no. 11; pp. 2047 - 2055
• Main Authors: Bejan, Adrian, Fowler, Alex J., Stanescu, George
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.07.1995; Elsevier
• Subjects: Convection and heat transfer; Exact sciences and technology; Fluid dynamics; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Physics; Turbulent flows, convection, and heat transfer; Temperature distribution; Cooling; Electronic component; Numerical simulation; Flow pattern; Natural convection; Spacing; Heat exchangers; Cylinder set; Optimization; Heat transfer
• DOI: 10.1016/0017-9310(94)00312-J
• ISSN: 0017-9310

This is a theoretical, numerical and experimental study of how to select the spacing ( S) between horizontal cylinders in an array with laminar natural convection, such that the total heat transfer ( q) between the array and the ambient is maximized. The volume occupied by the array (height H, width W, cylinder length L) and the cylinder diameter ( D) are arbitrary but fixed, while the spacing (or number of cylinders in the array) varies. The optimal spacing and maximum heat transfer results predicted theoretically are developed into accurate and well tested correlations by means of numerical simulations and experimental measurements. The recommended correlations are S opt/D = 2.72(H/D) 1 3 Ra D − 1 4 +0.263 and q ̃ max = 0.448[( H D ) 1 3 Ra D − 1 4 ] − 1 6 where q ̃ max is the dimensionless maximum overall thermal conductance, q ̃ max = q max D 2/[HLWk(T w - T ∞)] . The optimal spacing is relatively insensitive to whether the cylinders are isothermal or with uniform heat flux.