| Cogeneration of heat and power has become standard practice for many industrial processes. Research to reduce the thermal resistance in heat exchangers at the exhaust gas/solid interface can lead to greater energy efficiency and resource conservation. The main objective of this experimental study is to quantify the potential heat transfer enhancement of carbon foam and its suitability for industrial applications. The study measures the heat transfer rate and pressure drop from a heated vertical pipe, with and without porous medium, in both natural and forced convection environments. In a forced convection environment, the largest increase in Nu (about 9 times that of a bare pipe) is achieved with Aluminium fins. This is about 3 times greater than the best carbon foam case. In a natural convection environment, the largest increase in Nu (about 2.5 times that of a bare pipe) is achieved with large-diameter, carbon foam sleeves. |
