Automation and Evaluation of Radial Flow Heat Exchangers in 2D

Abstract

This study explores the automation and evaluation of radial flow heat exchangers in a two-dimensional (2D) setting using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Radial flow heat exchangers are widely being recognized to play a crucial role in the aerospace industry. The research examines how different tube arrangements within the heat exchangers impact heat transfer, pressure drop, and overall performance. A script was developed to automate the entire CFD workflow, streamlining the process of conducting simulations on different tube configurations and facilitating performance analysis of the tube arrangements. The automation process includes the geometry generation, meshing and then post processing of the results with the use of a Python code. The results show that the model can predict performance metrics, offering valuable insights for the effects of the design parameters and configuration of radial flow heat exchangers.