Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
HEAT AND MASS TRANSFER/WAERME- UND STOFFUEBERTRAGUNG, cilt.62, sa.4, ss.47-59, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
In this study, the heat transfer performances of functionally graded (FG) fins and homogeneous aluminum fins were experimentally compared under six different heat input levels and five different fin spacings. This value is within acceptable limits within the framework of academic standards and reinforces the reliability and validity of the experimental results. This research constitutes a novel study in the literature regarding the thermal performance of FG fins. The proposed fin design offers significant potential for high-heat-flux applications, such as electronic cooling systems and compact heat exchangers. FG fins demonstrated superior thermal effectiveness compared to aluminum fins by 39%, 20%, 30%, 51%, and 65% for configurations with 3, 7, 11, 21, and 25 fins, respectively. Key factors influencing thermal performance included fin material, fin count, and the base-to-ambient temperature difference. Although a reduction in fin spacing restricted airflow, it paradoxically resulted in an increase in net heat transfer, a phenomenon explained by the complex interplay between the development of the thermal boundary layer and the chimney effect. However, when the fin count reached seven, a marked decrease in heat transfer was observed due to the narrowing fin spacing, which weakened the chimney effect and caused thickening of the thermal boundary layer. Additionally, an increase in the horizontal inclination angle of the cylinder diminished convective efficiency by limiting the available flow area for the ambient fluid. Taken together, these parameters demonstrate that FG fins outperform aluminum fins in terms of thermal performance. These results confirm that functionally graded material distribution represents an effective approach for thermal management applications and that FG fins offer significant advantages for heat exchanger design.