Role of flow architectures on the design of radiant cooling panels, a constructal approach

Here we document the performance of a radiant cooling panel made of flow channels sandwiched between a suspended metal plate and an insulation layer. The flow passages represent the crucial element of the panel. In the present work, the heat transfer and flow characteristics of the panel are investigated. A numerical study is conducted to explore the role played by the flow architectures on the overall performance of the panel in steady state, subjected to radiation and convection heat fluxes from the bottom. A comparison between serpentine and canopy-to-canopy (dendritic) flow channels is presented. In all the cases, the following geometrical constrains apply: fixed plate area and flow volume. From one configuration to the other, the flow is given more freedom to morph in accord with the Constructal approach. We demonstrated that the dendritic architecture allows a significant improvement in the cooling panel performance, with more cooling capacity and less pumping power. In addition, we showed that the morphing of the panel itself toward more compactness is also a way to increase the ratio of cooling capacity/pumping power.