PERIODIC FORCED CONVECTION IN A DARCY METALLIC FOAM: THE LTNE MODEL

The present paper studies the thermal entrance region in a concentric annular duct filled by a fluid saturated porous metallic foam, with reference to steady forced convection and to a thermal boundary condition given by a wall temperature longitudinally varying with a sinusoidal law. The effect of viscous dissipation in the fluid is taken into account, and a two-temperature model is employed in order to evaluate separately the local fluid and solid matrix temperatures. The governing equations in the thermal entrance region are solved numerically by the method of lines. The Nusselt numer and its mean value in an axial period is evaluated, with reference both to the inner and the outer boundary