Numerical investigation on thermohydraulic and thermostructural performance of novel airfoil fin printed circuit heat exchanger

Abstract

In recent years, the supercritical carbon dioxide (sCOand#8322; ) Brayton newlinecycle has gained attention as a highly efficient and compact alternative for newlinefuture power generation. A key component in this cycle is the recuperator, newlinewhere the Printed Circuit Heat Exchanger (PCHE) is widely preferred due to newlineits high surface area-to-volume ratio (~700 m²/m³), compact design, and newlineability to withstand high pressures and temperatures. Typically constructed newlinefrom superalloys like SS316L for their thermal performance, PCHEs are newlinecostly and susceptible to corrosion under harsh operating conditions. newlineAdditionally, achieving an efficient yet compact design while minimizing newlinepressure drop remains a significant design challenge. Extensive research has newlineexplored PCHEs with diverse channel configurations such as Straight, newlineZigzag, S-Shape, and Airfoil under varying operating conditions to enhance newlinethermohydraulic performance. Since PCHEs operate in high-pressure, high newlinetemperature environments, ensuring both thermal efficiency and structural newlineintegrity is essential. To address these needs, the present study investigates newlinethe combined thermohydraulic and thermostructural performance of Airfoil newlineFin-based PCHEs. newlineThis study focuses on enhancing the thermohydraulic and newlinethermostructural performance of Airfoil Fin PCHEs by employing novel newlinestepped Airfoil Fin geometries and evaluating alternative materials. Using newlineANSYS FLUENT, various stepped Airfoil Fin models were simulated to newlineimprove heat transfer while maintaining acceptable pressure drops. A 3D newlinefluid structure interaction model was developed to assess the coupled thermal newlineand mechanical behavior of PCHEs constructed from different superalloys newlineand composite materials newline