Experimental air heat transfer and pressure drop through copper foams

This paper presents experimental heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop measurements carried out during air forced convection through five different copper foam samples. The specimens present a different number of pores per inch: 5, 10, 20, and 40 PPI and different porosities, which vary between 0.905 and 0.934. The tests were run by varying the air mass flow rate in the range between 0.006 and 0.012 kg s−1, which corresponds to the air frontal velocity from 2.5 to 5 m s−1. Two different heat fluxes, imposed by means of an electrical heater were investigated: 25.0 and 32.5 kW m−2. The collected heat transfer and pressure drop data were analyzed to obtain the global heat transfer coefficient, the normalized mean wall temperature, the pressure gradient, permeability, inertia coefficient, and drag coefficient. The experimental heat transfer measurements reported in the present work increase the knowledge in heat transfer and fluid flow in metal foams.

► The paper investigates the air forced convection through five copper foams.
► Heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop measurements are reported.
► This paper broadens the knowledge about the thermal performance of metal foams.
► Comparisons between the foams are performed with different methods.