Graphite Foam Heat Exchanger For Vehicles

Because of the high thermal conductivity (1700 W/(m.K)) and the low density (0.2 to 0.6 g/cm(3)), the graphite foam is a good option for heat exchangers in vehicles. However, there is a high pressure drop through the foam due to the open cells of the foam. In order to evaluate the performance of graphite foam heat exchanger, a simulation comparison between a convectional aluminum louver fin heat exchanger and a corrugated graphite foam heat exchanger is carried out in this paper. The aim of the comparison is to investigate the coefficient of performance (COP), power density (PD), and compactness factor (CF). Useful recommendations are highlighted to promote the development of graphite foam heat exchangers in vehicles.