Experimental and analytical study of heat transfer and fluid flow through aluminum foams

This paper aims at investigating the air heat transfer and fluid flow through eight Aluminum open cell foam samples with different number of pores per linear inch (PPI ranging between 5 and 40), almost constant porosity (around 0.92–0.93) and different foam core heights (20 and 40 mm). The experimental heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop measurements have been collected in a test rig built at Dipartimento di Fisica Tecnica of the University of Padova. Three different heat fluxes have been imposed: 25.0, 32.5 and 40.0 kW m−2 and the air mass flow rate has been varied between 0.005 and 0.025 kg s−1, with air approach velocity between 2 and 5 m s−1. The effect of the foam height on the heat transfer has been experimentally analysed. Finally, the pressure drop measurements have been compared against an analytical model suggested in the open literature.