Exploring the Effect of Peclet Number on the Transient Thermal Response of a Convective-Radiative Moving Porous Fin

Abstract

In the thermal analysis of moving fins, there have been conflicting results as well as discussion on the effects of Peclet number on the thermal responses of fins. While some authors agreed the increase in Peclet number, increases the fin temperature, the other class of researchers is of the opinion that when the Peclet number increases, the fin temperature decreases. It could be said that many of these divergence views arose from the physics of the problem as well as the mathematical model governing the heat transfer problem. Therefore, in this work, through modeling from the first principle, the effect of Peclet number on the thermal behaviour of convective-radiative moving porous fin is explored. First, a transient thermal model of a convective-radiative rectangular moving porous fin with temperature-dependent internal heat generation is developed. The developed thermal model is nondimensionalized to bring up the needed Peclet number in the dimensional governing equation of the heat transfer process. Thereafter, the model is solved analytically using the Laplace transform method and the effect of Peclet number on the thermal behaviour of the fin is investigated and discussed. It is hoped that the present study will help for better understanding of the thermal problems in extended surfaces.

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