Publication: Numerical investigation on natural convection and optimization of the fin design on a bus duct conductor
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Date
2024-01-01
Authors
Mark Selvan, Anthony Rogers Louis
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Abstract
In the field of electrical power systems, the efficient transfer of heat is essential in
ensuring high thermal performance. One critical component that requires efficient heat
dissipation is the bus duct casing. The bus duct casing is an electrical power distribution
system that transports electrical energy from one location to another. It is essential that the
bus duct casing operates within the thermal limits to ensure its reliability and prevent
electrical failures. However, often times the bus duct conductor operates at very high
temperatures border lining the maximum allowable temperature in accordance to IEC
60439-1 and IEC 60439-2 standards. Hence, it is imperative that a more efficient and
effective heat sink design is employed to guarantee peak current carrying capacity. The
design optimization of a three-dimensional natural convection heat sink used on the bus
duct conductor's casing was examined in this study. Four design variables, fin length, fin
pitch, fin thickness, and number of fin valleys, were analysed to improve the thermal
performance of the heat sink. Each design variables were investigated one-factor-at-a-time
. The Average Surface Temperature and Nusselt number were used as the performance
criterion. Upon completion of the OFAT analysis, a statistical optimization method known
as Definitive Screening Design was carried out to determine the best combination of the 4
design variables. The Definitive Screening Design method suggested thirteen optimized
test conditions and the outcome of the parametric study showed that the fin length was the most influential factor, followed by the number of fin valley, fin pitch and fin thickness.
Fin pitch of 4mm, fin length of 6.5mm, fin thickness of 1mm, and 6 fin valleys were the
most optimal combination, resulting in an average surface temperature of 72.05°C and a
Nusselt number of 21.59. The results were benchmarked against the experimental study
and showed a deviation of 2.97% and 6.25% from the predicted values, respectively. This
study investigated the effects of each design variable on the thermal performance of the
heat sink, providing insights into improving the design of the heat sink used on the bus duct
conductor.