A comparison of computational and experimental results for flow and heat transfer from an array of heated blocks

This paper summarizes computational results for flow and hear transfer over an array of idealized electronic components and compares them to experimental data. The numerical modeling was performed using a commercial finite control volume computer code (Flotherm(1), by Flomerics) and the results are compared to a set of experimental data. The experimental model consists of a uniform array of eight rows by six columns of solid aluminium blocks (9.5 mm high x 46.5 mm wide x 37.5 mm long) mounted on an adiabatic wall of a channel in forced convection pow. Four channel heights (H/B = 1.5-4.6) and a range of inlet velocities (3.0 to 8.1 m/s) were modelled. The flow was modeled as turbulent flow using the kappa-epsilon turbulence model. Data for the adiabatic heat transfer coefficient h(ad), the superposition kernel function g* and the channel pressure drop Delta P are compared The computational results for h(ad) are in excellent agreement with the experimental data (within about Jive percent on average). The computational results for g* predict the correct trends (roll off with downstream distance, channel height dependence, and velocity independence). However, values are as much as 50 percent higher than the experimental results which means the computational model under-predicts the amount of cross channel mixing. Computational results for Delta P compare reasonably well (within 20 percent on average).