Session: 11-46-01: Methods and Algorithms in Computational Heat Transfer

Paper Number: 95316

95316 - Numerical Methods for Heat Transfer Computations of Curved Surfaces Using Excel Techniques 

The majority of engineers, at some point of their careers, will employ numerical simulations and modeling to a certain degree of complexity.  Numerous thermal analysis software such as PATRAN Thermal, STAR_CCM+, ANSYS, COMSOL-Heat Transfer Module, FloTHERM, and many others, with varying levels of complexity are available, though, these complex software are expensive.  Usually, these sophisticated commercial software require extensive investment in training, in addition to continuous use to be fully mastered by the user.  Microsoft Excel is installed on most engineers’ personal computers.  Usually, engineers are competent in using Microsoft Excel as a spreadsheet to speed up calculations, and are skilled in creating charts with Microsoft Excel, but very few engineers can use Microsoft Excel for Numerical Simulations and modeling.  Microsoft Excel is inexpensive compared to any of the numerous commercial sophisticated thermal analysis software available in the market.  Unlike large companies, small companies do not have the financial resources to acquire these expensive software, nor sending engineers for the essential required training.  Thus, to model and analyze, small companies and private practice have to find alternative inexpensive methods.  Consequently, small companies and private consultants can find using Microsoft Excel for basic simulations and modeling attractive.

Several years ago, the author published an article in which three Heat Transfer Numerical Simulation cases using Microsoft Excel were discussed in detail.  The three cases only address rectangular cross sections.  The rectangular cross section cases are easy to address since Microsoft Excel elements are square / rectangular.  Since then there has been many YouTube recordings of how these cases work.  But no one attempted to use Excel for curved surfaces.  In engineering practice, many curved cross sections are encountered such as cylinders, pipes, tubes, rods, etc.  In this article four Numerical Heat Transfer practical cases for curved cross sections using Microsoft Excel are introduced, analyzed and discussed.  The first case is a pipe with both internal and external surfaces are subjected to isothermal boundary conditions.  The second case is a pipe insulated on the outside surface and isothermal boundary condition on the inside surface.  The third case demonstrates the implementation of uniform heat flux to the exterior surface and convection on the interior surface.  Finally, the last case is transient with isothermal boundary conditions on both internal and external surfaces of the tube.  The details of the analysis and results are discussed in this article.  The results from each of these four Microsoft Excel simulation cases are compared with results from PATRAN Thermal software.  PATRAN thermal is one of numerous commercial sophisticated thermal software available in the market.

Presenting Author: Amanie Abdelmessih California Baptist University

Presenting Author Biography: Dr. Amanie Abdelmessih, ASME Fellow, Professor of Mechanical Engineering; California Baptist University: She initiated undergraduate and graduate courses ‘Thermal Design of Heat Exchangers’ and ‘Solar Thermal Engineering.’ She teaches Heat Transfer, Capstone Design and other engineering courses. She taught 16 years at Saint Martin’s University where she founded, and was the director of the Thermal Engineering Laboratory. She started the Master of Mechanical Engineering program fall 2012. She developed and taught: Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning; Energy Systems; Computational Heat Transfer &amp; Thermal Modeling; and Heat Transfer in Electronics. She enjoyed teaching Thermodynamics I, II.<br/><br/>She worked in the Paper industry. Numerous summers she performed research at NASA Armstrong (Dryden) and Marshall Space Flight Research Centers, Argonne National Laboratory, and Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, receiving five certificates of recognition for her research contributions at NASA. She received the 2001 Outstanding Faculty Award from the Monks of Saint Martin’s Abbey, the 2005 Academic Engineer of the Year from Puget Sound Engineering Council, WA, and the 2009 Distinguished Engineering Educator from the National SWE, in addition to several other recognitions.<br/><br/>She is an ASME Fellow, a senior member of AIChE and SWE, and a member of ASHRAE and ASEE. the Society of Fellows, Omega Chi Epsilon, and Pi Tau Sigma. She is the founding advisor for CBU SWE Collegiate section. She is nationally and internationally active with ASME where she serves frequently as track organizer for K-16 at the Heat Transfer Conferences, and she chaired numerous sessions during national and international conferences. She reviews numerous articles for refereed Journals and Conferences. She served as panelist for NSF and DoD. Dr. Abdelmessih’s areas of research are mixed convection, conduction, heat exchangers, high temperature calibrations, drying in the paper industry, refrigeration including absorption, and most areas of heat transfer. She has numerous publications. Ten of these publications are co-authored with undergraduate students and published in refereed journals and conferences.

Authors:

Amanie Abdelmessih California Baptist University