Term of Award

Fall 2024

Degree Name

Master of Science, Mechanical Engineering

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Digital Commons@Georgia Southern License

Department

Department of Mechanical Engineering

Committee Chair

David Calamas

Committee Member 1

Marcel Ilie

Committee Member 2

Sevki Cesmeci

Abstract

This study investigates the thermal performance of fins with perforations inspired by the Sierpinski carpet fractal pattern under natural convection conditions in both vertical and horizontal orientations. The objective is to analyze the effects of fractal iteration levels on three primary performance metrics: efficiency, effectiveness, and effectiveness per unit mass. Experimental evaluations were conducted for fractal fins from iterations 0 through 4, utilizing aluminum material, with each fin heated to controlled conditions. The results reveal that efficiency generally decreases with higher fractal iterations, reflecting increased thermal resistance associated with greater porosity and complex geometry. However, effectiveness per unit mass improves markedly with fractal iteration, highlighting the enhanced heat transfer capability per unit of material, especially in the vertical orientation where natural convection is supported by gravitational forces. The study demonstrates the potential for Sierpinski carpet fractal fins to serve as lightweight, high-performance solutions for thermal management applications. These findings provide a foundation for the development of optimized fractal designs in engineering applications requiring efficient heat dissipation and weight efficiency. In the vertical orientation, effectiveness begins at 60.56, decreases to about 48.95 by the second iteration, and then recovers to 60.81 at the highest iteration. The horizontal orientation starts at 60.31, drops to around 47.37 at the second iteration, and then rises to approximately 60.55 at the highest iteration. In the vertical orientation, effectiveness starts at about 60.56 but drops to around 48.95 by the second iteration, then recovers to approximately 60.81 at the highest iteration. The horizontal orientation shows a similar pattern, beginning at 60.31, dipping to around 47.37 by the second iteration, then increasing to about 60.55 at the highest iteration.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

Yes

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