Abstract
Heat transfer is a key aspect of devices and industrial processes for maintaining their functionality and achieving better product quality. Heat exchangers of different types and sizes are used to transfer heat between a source and a working fluid to maintain the desirable working temperatures. Due to the space requirements of devices, there is a need for efficient heat exchangers with less size and less weight. Gyroid structure is a type of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface structures that define an internal volume that maximizes surface area and strength while minimizing mass. The hypothesis is that gyroid structures are useful in heat exchanger design, as they can optimize heat transfer to be more efficient, compared to traditional heat exchanger designs. A gyroid structured heat exchanger was designed, 3D printed, and compared to a commercial plate heat exchanger. Using different water flow rates, temperatures at the hot and cold inlets/outlets were measured using thermocouples and PicoLog until they reached steady state and calculated heat transfer rate and efficiency. It is found that heat transfer rate linearly increases with flow rate and that the heat transfer rate for the commercial heat exchanger is about twice the heat transfer rate for the gyroid one. A gyroid heat exchanger with the same surface area as the commercial one is likely to have a much larger heat transfer rate. Additional measurements, such as pressure drop and internal volume, should be taken to properly compare different heat exchangers, while minimizing heat loss and uncertainty in data.
Document Type
Final Report
Class Name
Mechanical Engineering and Material Sciences Independent Study
Date of Submission
12-28-2023
Recommended Citation
Mezaki, Nanami, "Optimal Design of Heat Exchangers to Enhance Thermal Performance" (2023). Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science Independent Study. 241.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/mems500/241