The compact heat exchangers fins performance simulation study for low-temperature fuel cells in aviation

With the widespread application of low-temperature fuel cells in the aviation industry, the power of low-temperature fuel cell systems is gradually increasing, leading to an increasing demand for heat dissipation in thermal management systems. Compact heat exchangers for aviation play a crucial role in achieving heat dissipation within these systems, with the heat dissipation performance of heat exchangers fins being particularly critical as it directly impacts the system's performance and safety. Therefore, it is necessary to study the heat dissipation effects of heat exchangers fins. In this study, three types of fin combinations were established: double offset-strip, offset-strip-wavy and plain-wavy. The temperature distribution and heat dissipation performance of cross-flow heat exchangers were investigated using fluid simulation methods. The study indicates that "hot spots" of heat transfer enhancement occur at locations where fluid motion changes direction. The temperature distribution within the fluid layer of offset-strip fins is more uniform compared to the layer of wavy fins. Within the wavy fins, different flow channels within the same layer exhibit uneven temperature distributions due to higher inlet resistance.