Thermal, Exergy, and Environmental Performance Analysis of Modified Fin Geometries in Panel Radiators: A CFD-Based Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.64470/elene.2025.10Keywords:
CFD Simulation, Panel Radiator, Fin Geometry, Thermal Performance, Exergy analysis, Energy efficiencyAbstract
In this study, alternative fin geometries were designed and evaluated to enhance heat transfer performance in panel radiators. Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed using ANSYS software for the traditional design and three newly proposed fin profiles, providing detailed data on temperature distribution and thermal efficiency. Additionally, exergy efficiencies and annual CO₂ emissions were calculated for each configuration. Two of the newly designed fins exhibited thermal efficiencies close to the conventional fin (approximately 48.3%), while the third design—an I-profile fin—achieved the highest efficiency at 61.9%. The exergy efficiency increased from 13.3% in the conventional design to 15.8% in Fin 3, indicating a 2.5% improvement. Although the enhanced heat transfer resulted in a 12.5 kg increase in annual CO₂ emissions compared to the conventional design, this trade-off is considered acceptable when evaluated alongside the significant gains in energy and exergy efficiency. Overall, the findings suggest that with optimized fin geometries, it is possible to achieve a more sustainable radiator performance through a balanced approach between thermal efficiency and environmental impact.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Ayse Bilgen Aksoy, Fatma Nur Uzun, Yiğit Aksoy
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