Mustapha, Khairul Azhar (2024) Flow behaviour and slip velocity evaluation through a channel with partially filled open-cell foam. Masters thesis, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka.
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Abstract
An open-cell metal foam (OCMF) is a porous structure material that is widely known among researchers and industries for its many benefits, such as its lightweight, low density, good impact absorption, and ability to transfer heat within its porous structure. However, using the foam in a fully filled configuration results in a high pressure drop, suggesting the need for a partially filled configuration. Hence, an interface condition between the clear and porous regions of the partially filled configuration must be well-understood to take advantage of its porous structure. This research aims to investigate fluid flow characteristics in the partially filled configuration, leading to the development of a slip velocity model for the OCMF. The foams used in the experiments were produced using an additive manufacturing method, where the images of 5 PPI (pores per inch) OCMF structures were used as a base structure in manipulating various pore diameters and porosities. The fluid flow characteristics across the 3D printed foams were investigated experimentally using a hot-wire anemometer and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation in Ansys Fluent Software. This study configured the porous structure of open-cell foam in two-dimensional (2D) simulation, since it is easier to be completed with less computational cost and the channel setup with a foam block can be considered symmetrical due to its rectangular design. Additionally, this study focused on obtaining averaging data in the free stream region to understand the effects of foam properties in the partially filled configuration. Based on the experimental data, the slip velocity model was developed using dimensional and regression analyses. Results show that the fluid flow behaviours in the partially filled channel would be affected by the presence of the foam, especially in the downstream region, where the velocity fluctuates and larger at the interface and clear regions. The foam size, pore diameter and blockage ratio are the significant factors that influence the flow behaviours in the partially filled channel. The pressure drop also varies from 343.53 - 1818.26 Pa/m at an inlet velocity of 5.0 m/s. Meanwhile, the slip velocity obtained from the proposed model is within the measurement uncertainties of the experimental studies. The slip velocity model that used an averaging value slightly underpredicted the real phenomenon at the interface region with a maximum percentage difference is 0.13 %. The secondary flow from the porous region caused a fluctuation of slip velocities and the values were higher than the inlet velocity.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Masters) |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | Metal foams, Foamed materials, Porous materials -- Thermal properties, Three-dimensional printing |
| Divisions: | Faculty Of Mechanical Technology And Engineering |
| Depositing User: | Norhairol Khalid |
| Date Deposited: | 24 Jun 2025 02:24 |
| Last Modified: | 24 Jun 2025 02:24 |
| URI: | http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/28841 |
| Statistic Details: | View Download Statistic |
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