Enhancing Convective Heat Transfer in Circular Microchannels through Response Surface Methodology of Orifice Geometry: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Approach

Abstract

This research investigates the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulation to model circular microchannel pipes with orifices as a passive heat transfer enhancer. Different parameters, including microchannel geometry, Reynolds number, and heat flux, are employed in this research. The analysis results indicate that factors such as the distance between the inlet and orifice, and Reynolds number significantly influence the system performance, particularly in terms of pressure drop and Nusselt number. The addition of an orifice to a microchannel also affects the efficiency of heat transfer and the pressure drop. The results were further analysed using the Response Surface Methodology, which revealed that a microchannel with a Reynolds number of 90 and a distance between the inlet and orifice of 2.83238 mm provides an optimum solution. In conclusion, optimising these parameters can lead to more efficient and optimal designs for microfluidic applications.