Heat transfer in metal foams and designed porous media

• Published in: Chemical engineering science 2011-09, Vol.66 (17), p.3806-3814
• Main Authors: Hutter, C., Büchi, D., Zuber, V., Rudolf von Rohr, Ph
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Calorimetry; Chemical engineering; Devices; energy; Exact sciences and technology; foams; Heat and mass transfer. Packings, plates; Heat exchanger reactor; heat exchangers; Heat exchangers and evaporators; Heat transfer; Joints; manufacturing; Metal foams; Porous media; Reactor by design; Reactors; Selective laser sintering; Sintering; Sintering, pelletization, granulation; Solid-solid systems; Turbulence
• ISSN: 0009-2509; 1873-4405
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ces.2011.05.005

We present the characterization of heat transfer in commercial metal foam filled tubular reactors in comparison to a designed laser sintered device. The investigations are performed at empty tube Reynolds numbers ranging from 600 to 7600. Volumetric heat transfer performances up to 4.5 MW/(m 3 K) were estimated by means of a simple calorimetric measurement setup, which is 3 orders of magnitude higher compared to conventional batch reactors. The heat transfer was found to increase with the ligament diameter ascribed to the enhanced turbulent kinetic energy induced. The fixed wall connection of the fully sintered device, realized by the applied manufacturing method, leads to 30% improvement of the heat transfer compared to no connection. Selective laser sintering was found to be an efficient tool for the design of continuous heat exchanger reactors covering a wide range of applications by simply adapting the geometry. ► We developed a novel continuous heat exchanger reactor by design. ► A strongly increased heat exchange due to direct integration of the foam with the wall is observed. ► Laser sintering allows for different, reproducible shapes and predictable characteristics.