Numerical calculations of the thermal deformations of the rectangular minichannel walls

Abstract

Abstract. This paper analyzes the thermal deformations of the walls of a rectangular minichannel. The distribution of temperature on the walls and the local coefficients of heat transfer between the heated wall and the boiling fluid were determined on the basis of the experimental data. The thermal deformations were examined for two vertical walls: a heated Hastelloy X plate and an unheated stainless steel plate. The heat conduction and displacement equations were solved numerically using Ansys Workbench software. The distributions of temperature and the thermal deformations of the walls were obtained by appropriately combining the software modules with the mathematical description of the physical phenomena occurring in the minichannel and introducing the boundary conditions and the experimental data. It was found that, for the predetermined thermal conditions and the assumed thicknesses of the minichannel walls, thermal deformations can be omitted from further analysis. However, it is important to note that, if the geometrical dimensions of the minichannel had been different, the difference in the temperature along the minichannel length would have resulted in changes in the minichannel shape, i.e. its local narrowing, a reduction in the heat transfer efficiency, and, finally, a local change in the fluid flow rate.