Thermal Analysis of Infrared Heater as an Alternative Heat Source for Flexitank Application Using CFD

The heating pad was a mechanism for heating elements using steam as a heat source and heating the liquid inside a flexitank to liquidise for easy discharge completely. Alternative heat sources such as infrared, electric, and exothermic reactions may improve thermal performance for the heating process. Infrared heating is chosen for this study due to its efficient radiation heat transfer compared to conduction and convection. This study aims to determine the optimal infrared heater configuration to improve the time to liquidify fluid on the flexitank for easier discharge. Nine flexitank and infrared heater geometries were made using SolidWorks with different heater positions and heating element thicknesses. Each geometry was simulated using Ansys Mechanical to study the thermal performance of radiation heat transfer with three different heating element materials. The heat output and energy input obtained from the simulation were used to calculate heating time and energy efficiency, respectively. The effects of each parameter were studied to determine the best configuration of the infrared heater in terms of heating time, energy consumption and both. The results showed that the position of the heater plays the most crucial role in determining the heating time and energy consumption, as a heater position that produces a larger heated surface area on the flexitank can reduce heating time. The thickness of the heating element and its material contributes a minor impact on heating time and energy consumption. Increasing thickness would lower the heating time and increase energy efficiency if the thickness improves heat retention capabilities. Increasing material emissivity will increase the heating time. Higher conductive materials would use more energy compared to lower conductive materials. The heating time was improved by about 30% compared to a steam heating pad. Energy consumption was reduced by about 85% compared to a small steam generator. In conclusion, the infrared heater was a promising alternative as a heat source for flexitank applications.