Fluid flow and heat transfer around heating elements

This project contributes to how electric heating can replace fossil-fuel-based heating in industrial processes. While electric heaters are safer, more efficient, and better aligned with decarbonization goals, scaling them up for high-temperature industrial duties poses challenges. To investigate this, this project uses Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations for fluid flow and heat transfer around heated cylinders.
The work compares results from open-source CFD software (OpenFOAM) with both a commercial CFD tool (ANSYS Fluent) and with experimental correlations. Key factors in the CFD model, such as the mesh resolution, turbulence model, and near-wall treatment, were tested to understand their impact on the accuracy. The project also studied multiphase flow, where small liquid droplets are dispersed in a vapour stream, reflecting real industrial conditions that can influence the heater reliability. In addition to these validation studies, the project investigated various heater design layouts, examining how tube spacing and baffle con-figuration affect thermal and hydraulic performance.
Findings from this project provide insight into how flow and heat transfer behave around electric heating elements and translate into practical recommendations for heater design. These results can support the development of cleaner, more efficient, and more reliable electrified heating technologies for industry.