Numerical simulation of the turbulence effect on heat transfer between fluid and thin plates of a solid material

Abstract

We present the results of numerical simulation of conjugate heat transfer between thin (100-1000 nm) solid plates and periodically heated air flow. Several air inflow conditions were studied with different turbulence intensity and integral scale. The thermal response in the plate was calculated showing that inflow turbulence interacting with the plate generates significant temperature fluctuations in the plate volume. These fluctuations amplitudes grow along the plate and with time for several periods, indicating the existence of some feedback process, with turbulent air flow acting as a medium, transferring thermal signals between different sections of the plate. The described spatial and temporal fluctuations may be used for pyroelectric energy harvesting applications.