COMSOL – Micro Heat Exchanger

Computer Workshop CHEE3021

Ir Dr Hii Ching Lik

Department of Chemical &
Environmental Engineering

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 Example: Micro Heat Exchanger
• The following example builds and solves a
conduction and convection heat transfer problem
using Non-Isothermal Flow Multiphysics. The
example concerns a heat exchanger, which you
can find in in micro reactors such as for micro-fuel
cells. This application examines the heat
exchanger in 3D, and it involves heat transfer
through both convection and conduction. Steady
state condition is assumed.
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• The geometry of the heat exchanger is shown
below:

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• Parameters:

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 Physics
• Model wizard -> 3D
• Select physics -> Fluid flow -> Non-isothermal
flow -> Laminar flow
• Study -> Stationary
• Done

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 Definitions
• Set parameter as follows:

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 Geometry
• Change units in geometry to µm
• On geometry -> workplane
• Locate plane definition -> zx-plane

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• From plane geometry -> Rectangle
• Type width = 300, height = 100, then build

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• From plane geometry -> circle
• Type radius = R, sector angle = 180, position
xw = 100, then build

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• From plane geometry -> circle
• Type radius = R, sector angle = 180, position
xw = 200, yw = 100, rotation = 180, then build

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• From geometry -> extrude
• In Distance from plane, type 400, then build

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• From geometry -> virtual operations -> ignore
edges
• Select edges 8 and 33 only, then build

The highlighted
edges will be
ignored

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 Explicits
• This function is for selection purposed
• Explicit 1 (see next page)
– From Definitions -> selections -> Explicit
– In Settings, type Solid in the Label text field
– Select Domain 1 only
• Explicit 2
– From Definitions -> selections -> Explicit
– In the Settings, type Channels in the Label text field
– Select Domains 2 and 3 only.
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• Explicit 3
– From Definitions -> selections -> Explicit
– In Settings, type Hot channel in the Label text field
– Select Domain 2 only
• Explicit 4
– From Definitions -> selections -> Explicit
– In the Settings, type Cold channel in the Label text
field
– Select Domains 3 only.

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 Variables
• From definitions -> variables
• Locate geometry entity level -> Domain
• From selection -> Channels
• Locate variables and type the following:

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 Materials
• Solid
– Materials -> Steel AISI 4340
– Geometry entity level -> Solid
• Water
– Materials -> Water, liquid
– Geometry entity level -> Channels

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 Heat Transfer in Fluids
• From heat transfer in fluid1 -> Thermodynamics, fluid
• In user defined,
– Type ρ = rho_w
– Type ϒ = 1
• From heat transfer in fluid1 -> Heat transfer in solids
(see next page)
– In Settings -> domain selection -> Solid

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 Laminar Flow
• In laminar flow, locate domain selection, choose
Channels
• Boundary selections:
• Inlet 1
– Boundary 5 and 15 only, in normal inflow velocity, type Uav =
v_mean
• Outlet 1
– Boundary 11 and 14 only, type P = 0
• Symmetry
– Boundary 4 and 17 only (see next page)

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 Heat Transfer in Fluids
• Temperature 1
– Boundary 5 only, in To type T_hot
• Temperature 2
– Boundary 15 only, in To type T_cold
• Outflow1
– Boundary 11 and 14 only
• Symmetry at 4 and 7

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 Meshing
• Use free tetrahedral
-> size
– Choose fluid
dynamics/normal

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Cut line 3D plot (Temperature)

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