International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592

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International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer

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Optimum wall thickness ratio based on the minimization of entropy generation in a

viscous ow between parallel plates
Guillermo Ibez a,, Aracely Lpez b, Sergio Cuevas c
a
Universidad de Ciencias y Artes de Chiapas, Libramiento Norte Poniente No. 1150, Col. Lajas Maciel, Tuxtla Gutirrez, Chiapas, C.P. 29000, Mexico
b
Universidad Politcnica de Chiapas, Eduardo J. Selvas S/N, Col. Magisterial, Tuxtla Gutirrez, Chiapas, C.P. 29010, Mexico
c
Centro de Investigacin en Energa, Universidad Nacional Autnoma de Mxico, A.P. 34, Temixco, Morelos, C.P. 62580, Mexico

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Available online 28 March 2012 The inuence of the geometrical and physical parameters on entropy generation for a viscous ow between
innite parallel walls of nite thickness is studied by solving the momentum and energy conservation equa-
Keywords: tions. The conjugate heat transfer problem in the uid and solid walls is solved analytically using thermal
Optimization boundary conditions of the third kind at the outer surfaces of the walls and continuity of temperature and
Entropy generation heat ux across the uidwall interfaces. Analytic solutions for the velocity and temperature elds in the
Heat transfer
uid and walls are used to calculate the local and global entropy generation rate. Conditions under which
this quantity is minimized are determined for certain suitable combination of geometrical and physical pa-
rameters of the system. Special attention has been given to the effect of the wall thickness on the entropy
generation rate. It is found that the global entropy generation reaches a minimum for specic values of the
wall thickness ratio, when the other parameters are xed.
2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction
The operation of an engineering device is always affected by
irreversible losses that bear upon the system performance and lead
to a reduction of the thermal efciency. In a given process irreversible
losses can be characterized and evaluated through the entropy
generation function [1]. This function reveals as a convenient tool
for the optimization analysis, particularly, in the modeling of heat
transfer and uid ow devices. The explicit evaluation of the entropy
generation requires as a previous step the solution of the balance
equations of mass, momentum, and energy in order to get the
relevant elds and uxes necessary to calculate the associated irre-
versibilities [1]. Usually, in uid ow and heat transfer problems irre-
versibilities are due to viscous friction and heat conduction. Once the
entropy generation function is known, the irreversible behavior of the
process can be characterized in space and time, as well as in terms of
the physical and geometrical parameters of the system. As a matter of
fact, by determining the conditions under which the entropy genera-
tion function is minimized, it is possible to optimize the operating
conditions by reducing the intrinsic irreversibilities to a minimum
consistent with the physical constraints demanded by the system.
This procedure, known as the Entropy Generation Minimization
(EGM) method [2,3], has been established as a useful instrument for
Communicated by W.J. Minkowycz.
Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: guibdu@gmail.com (G. Ibez), alpezib@hotmail.com (A. Lpez),
scg@cie.unam.mx (S. Cuevas).
the analysis and design of engineering devices. The search for condi-
tions that lead to the minimization of entropy generation in a given
process or device has been the task of several investigations reported
in the literature. The possibility of minimizing the entropy generation
in a solid slab with uniform internal heat generation or in a duct ow
with viscous dissipation by cooling the system convectively in an
asymmetric way was originally reported by Ibez et al. [4,5]. This of-
fers a simple procedure to control a cooling process in practical appli-
cations, assuring the operation under minimum entropy generation
conditions and allowing the system optimization. The key element
is the asymmetry in the way in which heat is extracted from the
boundaries via Newton's cooling law. The procedure has proven to
be useful in more complex situations, for instance, when additional
irreversibility sources are present as occurs in magnetohydrodynamic
(MHD) ows subjected to ohmic dissipation [6,7], or heat transfer
problems in more complex geometries with temperature dependent
heat sources [8], and cases where a non-uniform thermal conductivi-
ty exists [9]. Entropy generation in convective cooled systems has also
been explored in duct ows with temperature dependent uid vis-
cosity [10,11], as well as in ows with viscoelastic uids [12]. Impor-
tant applications such as the cooling of electronic devices and the
uid transport in microchannels have motivated to revisit classical
problems as the ow and heat transfer in parallel plate channels.
Incidentally, the forced convection in a parallel plate channel heated
asymmetrically was analyzed in the past [13], but only uniform heat
ux or uniform temperature boundary conditions were explored. Al-
though the entropy generation rate was not calculated in this study, it
was found that a properly dened Nusselt number for asymmetric

0735-1933/$ see front matter 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2012.03.011
588 G. Ibez et al. / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592

thickness of uid containing walls is not considered. Evidently, to

Nomenclature
introduce walls of nite thickness in the analysis requires the solution
of conjugate heat transfer problems [14,15]. In fact, only a few works
a half separation between the planar walls [m]
have included wall dissipation in the entropy generation analysis. For
A constant axial temperature gradient, /x
instance, Varol et al. [16] studied the entropy generation due to
Bi Biot number, ah/k
conjugate natural convection in enclosures bounded by vertical
C specic heat of the uid, [J/kgK]
solid walls with different thicknesses. As expected, entropy genera-
he external convective heat transfer coefcient
tion grows as the thermal conductivity ratio and thicknesses of the
[W m 2K 1]
walls increase. In turn, Ibez and Cuevas [17] analyzed a natural con-
heff effective convective heat transfer coefcient
vection ow of an electrically conducting uid under the presence of
[W m 2K 1 ], 1/(tw/kw + 1/he)
a transverse magnetic eld in a rectangular duct with thin conducting
hi internal convective heat transfer coefcient
walls. Taking into account the ohmic dissipation in both walls and
[W m 2K 1], (k/(Tw Tb))(T/y)y = a
uid, it was possible to nd an optimal wall conductance ratio by
k uid thermal conductivity [W m 1K 1]
minimizing the entropy generation rate. Recently, the entropy gener-
kw wall thermal conductivity [W m 1K 1]
ation analysis of an MHD ow in a parallel plate channel with
Nu Local Nusselt number, hia/2k
conducting walls of nite thickness was considered by the same
p pressure [kPa]
authors in the context of microuidic applications [18] and it was
Pe Pclet number, PrRe = UaC/k
shown that the global entropy generation rate can display minimum
Pr Prandtl number, C/k
values under different operation conditions. In fact, including wall
Re Reynolds number, Ua/
dissipation in the evaluation of entropy generation in natural or
S_ local entropy generation rate per unit length,
forced convection channel ows enable us to optimize not only the
[Wm 4K 1]
channel wall thickness but also the wall to uid thermal conductivity
S_ dimensionless local entropy generation rate per unit
ratio. These may be important issues for the design of cooling and
length, a2 S_ =k
heat transfer devices. In the present contribution the conjugate heat
bS_ > dimensionless global entropy generation rate
transfer problem in a viscous ow between parallel solid walls of -
tw wall thickness [m]
nite thickness is analyzed from an optimization point of view. The
T uid temperature [K]
main objective is to examine the inuence on the entropy generation
Tw wall temperature [K]
of the wall channel thickness and wall to uid thermal conductivity
Ta external ambient temperature [K]
a a ratio, and show the existence of optimal values of these quantities
Tb bulk uid temperature [K] auTdy/ audy
consistent with minimum entropy generation rates. The conjugated
u axial uid velocity, [m/s]
heat transfer problem is solved analytically with thermal boundary
u dimensionless axial uid velocity, u/U
conditions of the third kind at the outer surfaces of the walls and con-
U characteristic velocity of the uid [m/s]
tinuity of temperature and heat ux across the uidwall interfaces.
x axial coordinate, [m]
In addition, convective heat transfer is considered assuming a
x dimensionless axial coordinate, x/a
thermally fully developed ow. The local and global entropy
y transversal coordinate [m]
generation rates are calculated as well as the dimensionless wall
y dimensionless transversal coordinate, y/a
heat transfer coefcient, namely the local Nusselt number.

2. Transport problem
Greek symbols
dimensionless wall thickness ratio tw/a
2.1. Velocity eld
dynamic viscosity of the uid [kg m 1s 1]
dimensionless uid temperature, kT/U 2
We consider the steady fully developed ow of a viscous uid be-
w dimensionless wall temperature, kTw/U 2
tween two innite parallel walls of nite thickness separated by a
a dimensionless external ambient temperature, kTa/U 2
1 distance 2a in the presence of a longitudinal constant pressure gra-
b dimensionless bulk uid temperature, 1u()dy/
1 dient, dp/dx. The upper wall is located at y = a and the lower wall is
1udy
at y = a, y denoting the dimensional transversal coordinate. We
uid density, [kg/m 3]
also assume that the uid is incompressible and monocomponent,
thermal conductivity ratio wall to uid kw/k
so that the mass diffusion phenomenon is disregarded. At the
uidwall interfaces, the usual no slip conditions on the velocity
are applied. Under these conditions, from the solution of the mo-
Subscripts mentum balance equation we nd that the velocity prole in dimen-
1 lower wall sionless form is
2 upper wall
w wall 3
2

u 1y ; 1
2

where the velocity, u, has been normalized by the characteristic ve-

heating is independent of the asymmetry if the velocity prole is
symmetric with respect to the middle line of the channel, as occurs
with Poiseuille and slug ows. It is interesting to notice that when
asymmetric convective cooling is applied (i.e. boundary conditions
of the third kind are used), minimum values of the entropy
generation rate are found with either symmetric (v.e. Poiseuille) or
non-symmetric (v.e. Couette) velocity proles [4,5]. Usually, in the
entropy generation analysis of channel ows the effect of nite wall
locity U = (a 2/3)(dp/dx), being the dynamic viscosity of the
uid, while the dimensionless transversal coordinate y is normal-
ized by a.
2.2. Temperature eld
Once the velocity eld is known, we proceed to solve the energy
balance equation considering viscous dissipation and convective
 G. Ibez et al. / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592 589

effects. In dimensionless terms, the heat transfer equation in the uid assumed to be constant [19]. The temperature elds for the uid
reduces to and solid walls are determined from the solution of the previous
boundary value problem. For the uid region, we get
 2  
2 du 1 APe 4 3 2
Peu 2 ; 2 y 3 y APey C 1 y C 2 ; 11
x y dy 4 2 4

where
where the dimensionless temperature is now given by = k(T Ta)/

U 2, with T being the uid temperature and k the uid thermal Bi2 2 Bi1 1 1Bi1 1 Bi2 2 1
C 1 APe3 ;
conductivity. Here, Pe = UaC/k is the Pclet number where and C 2Bi1 Bi2 1 2 Bi2 2 Bi1 1 1 Bi1 1 Bi2 2 1
are the uid density and the specic heat of the uid, respectively.
Since we consider the conjugate heat transfer problem, the heat Bi2 2 Bi1 1 1 Bi1 1 2Bi1 1 1Bi2 2 1
transfer equation in both walls of the channel is also required. For C 2 APe3
2Bi1 Bi2 1 2 Bi2 2 Bi1 1 1 Bi1 1 Bi2 2 1
the lower and upper walls, respectively, we have
5 3
APe a ;
8 4
d2 wi
0; 3
dy2 In turn, the temperature elds in the walls are given by

w1 C 3 y C 4 12
where wi = kTwi/U 2 is the dimensionless wall temperature and
subindexes i = 1, 2 refer to the lower and upper walls, respectively. w2 C 5 y C 6 13
The boundary conditions that Eqs. (2), (3) have to satisfy are the
following: where

w1 ; at y 1; 4 APe3C 1
C3 ;
1
w2 ; at y 1; 5
Bi1 1 1 1
C4 C3 a ;
d d Bi1
1 w1 ; at y 1; 6
dy dy
APe3 C 1
C5 ;
d d 2
2 w2 ; at y 1; 7
dy dy
Bi2 1 2 1
C 6 C 5 a ;
dw1 Bi2
Bi1 w1 a 0; at y 1 1 ; 8
dy
Although not shown here, the temperature of the system de-
dw2 creases with both the thermal conductivity of the walls and the Biot
Bi2 w2 a 0; at y 1 2 ; 9
dy numbers since the heat transfer to the surroundings increases; how-
ever, when the wall thickness grows the temperature of the system
where a = kTa/U 2 is the dimensionless ambient temperature. increases since the thermal wall resistance is higher. Consequently,
Eqs. (4)(7) express continuity conditions for the temperature and the heat transfer to the ambient decreases.
heat ux across the uidwall interfaces, where = kw/k is the wall
to uid thermal conductivity ratio, kw being the thermal 3. Results
conductivity of the wall, while i = twi/a is the dimensionless wall
thickness, twi being the wall thickness of each wall. In turn, 3.1. Entropy generation
conditions (8) and (9) at the outer surfaces of the walls establish
Newton's cooling law, that is, the heat ow at any point in the The velocity and temperature elds already obtained are now
boundary is assumed to be proportional to the difference between used to calculate the local entropy generation rate. In dimensionless
the temperature at the surface and the external ambient term this quantity can be written explicitly in the form [13]
temperature. Hence, the amount of heat entering or leaving the
"   2 #      
system depends on the external temperature as well as on the 1 2 w1 2 w2 2 1 du 2
convective heat transfer coefcient, expressed in dimensionless S_ 2 21 22 ;
x y w1 y w2 y dy
terms by the Biot number, Bii = (heff)ia/k, for each wall (i = 1, 2).
Here, (heff)i is the effective heat transfer coefcient given by 14

where S_ is normalized by k/a 2. In (14), the rst three terms account

 1 for irreversibilities caused by heat ow in the uid and walls while
heff t wi ; i 1; 2 10
i
kwi h1 the last term considers irreversibilities due to viscous dissipation in
e i
the uid. Evidently, for an insulating wall duct (1 = 1 = 0), heat
ow irreversibilities in the walls are zero so that heat loss to the sur-
where he is the external convective heat transfer coefcient of either roundings is negligible. The function depends on the spatial coordi-
wall. In order to solve Eqs. (2), (3) under boundary nates and the physical and geometrical governing parameters. By
conditions (4)(9), we only analyze the thermally fully developed integrating S_ in the volume occupied by the system, we get the global
region so that the dimensionless temperature can be expressed as entropy generation rate per unit length in the axial direction, bS_ >,
(x, y) = Ax + (y), where the axial temperature gradient A is which only depends on the dimensionless governing parameters Pe,
590 G. Ibez et al. / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592
1
0.995
S Bi2=4
0.99
S 1 0
2= 0.08
0.985
2= 0.1
0.98
2=0.12
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5
1 Bi1
Fig. 1. Normalized global entropy generation rate as a function of dimensionless lower
wall thickness, 1, for three different values of 2. Pe = 0.3, A = 1, 1 = 2 = 0.5, Bi1 = 2
and Bi2 = 20.
i, Bii, i, a and A. For numerical calculations, in all cases the dimen-
sionless ambient temperature has been xed to a = 5 using the
physical properties of engine oil [20] at an ambient temperature
Ta = 20C. Since the global entropy generation rate evaluates the
whole dissipation produced by irreversibilities in the system, we
can look for values of the parameters that minimize this function
and that correspond to optimal operation conditions. In Fig. 1 the
global entropy generation rate is reported as a function of dimension-
less lower wall thickness, 1, normalized by its value when 1 = 0 for
three different values of 2, and Pe = 0.3, A = 1, 1 = 2 = 0.5, Bi1 = 2
and Bi2 = 20. We observe, that the global entropy generation displays
minimum values for the three 2 curves, and therefore, optimal 1
values can be determined. In order to understand the nature of this
behavior, the independent contributions to the global entropy gener-
ation associated to both heat conduction and viscous dissipation were
analyzed. It was found that entropy generation produced by heat
transfer in the uid and the upper wall always increases with 1.
This is because the increase in the temperature gradients dominates
over the increment in the temperature, which could produce a de-
crease due to its inverse dependence in the entropy generation; how-
ever, the terms associated to viscous dissipation in the uid and heat
transfer in the lower wall always decrease with 1 due to the incre-
ment in the temperature of the system. For small values of 1, this
reduction in the irreversibilities associated to viscous dissipation
and heat transfer in the lower wall dominates over the increment in
the terms associated to heat transfer in the uid and in the upper
wall in such a way that bS_ > shows a minimum value. Once this
minimum is reached, bS_ > exhibits an increase as 1 grows. The be-
havior observed in the gure indicates that the larger the upper
wall thickness, 2, the larger the value of 1 where this minimum is
reached. In Fig. 2 the global entropy generation rate is reported as a
function of 1 normalized by its value when 1 = 0 for three different
1 Bi1=Bi2=5
1= 2=0.7
0.99 1= 2=1
1= 2=1.2
S 1=0
0.98
S 1 0
0.97
0 1 2 3
1
Fig. 2. Normalized global entropy generation rate as a function of 1 for three different
values of 1 = 2. Pe = 0.3, A = 1, Bi1 = 2, Bi2 = 20 and 2 = 0.1.
1.04 Bi2=2
1.02 Bi2=3
S
1
S
Bi1=0
0.98
0.96
3 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
Fig. 3. Normalized global entropy generation rate as a function of the Biot number of
the lower wall, Bi1, for different values of Bi2. Pe = 0.1, A = 1, 1 = 2 = 2 and
1 = 2 = 0.1.
values of the wall to uid thermal conductivity ratio 1 = 2, while
Pe = 0.3, A = 1, Bi1 = 2 and Bi2 = 20 and 2 = 0.1. Once more, the
entropy generation reaches minimum values that become higher as
1 = 2 increases. Fig. 3 shows the global entropy generation rate as
a function of the lower wall Biot number, Bi1, normalized by its
value when Bi1 = 0 for different values of upper wall Biot number,
Bi2, and Pe = 0.1, A = 1, 1 = 2 = 2 and 1 = 2 = 0.1. This case corre-
sponds to an asymmetric convective cooling of the system. As can be
observed, the global entropy generation rate displays a minimum
value for the three different values of Biot in the upper wall. There-
fore, it is possible to nd an optimum Biot number for the lower
surface, Bi1opt, which leads to a minimum global entropy generation
rate bS_ >. Similarly to what occurred in the non-conjugate heat trans-
fer problem [4,5], in the present example when the Biot numbers of
each wall are the same (symmetric cooling) the global entropy gener-
ation rate is always a monotonous increasing function of Bi and
reaches a limiting value as Bi . Fig. 4 shows the global entropy
generation rate as a function of the lower wall thermal conductivity,
1, normalized by its value when 1 = 0 for different values of
Bi1 = Bi2. In addition, Pe = 0.1, A = 1, 2 = 10 and 1 = 2 = 0.1. Notice
that even though the cooling of the walls is symmetric, bS_ > presents
minimum values for the three values of Bi1 = Bi2 explored. This means
that for a given uid, irreversibilities can be minimized by an ade-
quate selection of the thermal conductivities of the walls. Figs. 5
and 6, show the effects of both the axial temperature gradient, A,
and dimensionless Pclet number, Pe, on the global entropy genera-
tion rate for Bi2 = 20 and 1 = 2 = 0.1, respectively. Fig. 5 refers to
Pe = 0.1, 1 = 2 = 10 and three different values of Bi1 while Fig. 6
refers to A = 1, Bi1 = 5 and three different values of 1 = 2. In both
Figs. 5 and 6, the minimum values reached by bS_ > correspond to
1 Bi1=Bi2=1
0.995
Bi1=Bi2=10
0.99
S
S 0.985
0.98
0.975
0.97
0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1
4 1
Fig. 4. Normalized global entropy generation rate as a function of the lower wall
thermal conductivity, 1, for different values of Bi1 = Bi2. Pe = 0.1, A = 1, 2 = 10 and
1 = 2 = 0.1.
 G. Ibez et al. / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592 591

1000
10
Bi1=0 2= 0.3
9
Bi1=0.2 500 2= 0.4
8 Bi1=2 2= 0.5
S Nu 0
7

6
-500
5

0 2 4 6 8 10 -1000
A 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 1
1
Fig. 5. Global entropy generation rate as a function of the axial temperature gradient, A,
for different values of Bi1. Pe = 0.1, A = 1, 1 = 2 = 10, Bi2 = 20 and 1 = 2 = 0.1. Fig. 7. Nusselt number as a function of 1 for three different upper wall thickness, 2.
Pe = 0.4, A = 4, 1 = 2 = 2 and Bi1 = Bi2 = 3.
optimum values of A and Pe that minimize the irreversibilities
associated to this system. Although not shown here, the minima of Fig. 7 shows the Nusselt number as a function of 1 for three differ-
the global entropy generation in Fig. 6 move to lower values of Pclet ent upper wall thickness 2 and Pe = 0.4, A = 4, 1 = 2 = 2 and
number when 1 = 2 increases. Moreover, when we consider the Bi1 = Bi2 = 3. A discontinuity of the curve is observed and the Nusselt
case where the Biot numbers for each wall are equal, i.e. conditions number becomes negative. These negative values correspond to the
of symmetric convective cooling, it is possible to nd again an temperature proles with inections, when the cross-section aver-
optimum Pclet number which leads to a minimum global entropy aged temperature of the ow is greater than the wall temperature
generation rate. and hence the heat ux reverses. In Fig. 8 Nusselt number displays a
monotonic behavior as 1 increases and reaches a limiting value as
3.2. Nusselt number 1 for three different wall to uid thermal conductivity ratios of
the upper wall, 2, while Pe = 0.4, A = 1, Bi1 = Bi2 = 5 and
Let us now calculate the local Nusselt number at the upper wall, 1 = 2 = 0.1. In fact, this limiting value can be determined analytical-
based on the internal convective heat transfer coefcient, hi, namely ly, namely,
[21],
35APe3Bi2 2
  lim Nu : 17
k T 1 2Bi2 2 17APe2491 Bi2 2 2APe9
hi : 15
T wy a T b y y a
As can be seen from the gure, once more the Nusselt number dis-
where Tb and Tw(y = a) are the dimensional expressions of the bulk plays negative values and decreases with 2.
temperature (i.e. the cross-section averaged temperature of the
stream) and the uidwall interface temperature at y = a, respec- 4. Summary and conclusion
tively. Hence, the local Nusselt number at the upper wall is given by
In this work we applied the entropy generation minimization


d method to the optimization of a fully developed steady viscous ow
hi a dy y1
between parallel solid walls of nite thickness. In order to get the
Nu
 ; 16
2k 2 b temperature in the uid and walls, the conjugate heat transfer
y1
problem was solved analytically assuming boundary conditions of
where the dimensionless bulk temperature is dened as the third kind at the exterior surfaces and continuity of temperature
and heat ux across the uidwall interfaces. All relevant design
1 parameters of the system, including material properties, ow condi-
1 udy
b : tions, and geometric parameters, were optimized by minimizing the
11 udy global entropy generation rate. Particularly, the inuence of the wall
thickness and the wall to uid thermal conductivity ratio on the

0
2=1
5.98 1= 2=5 -1 2=2
1= 2=10 -2 2=10
5.96 1= 2=15
-3
S Nu
-4
5.94
-5

5.92 -6

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 0 5 10 15 20

Pe 1

Fig. 6. Global entropy generation rate as a function of the Pclet number, Pe, for differ- Fig. 8. Nusselt number displays as a function of 1 for three different thermal conduc-
ent values of 1 = 2. A = 1, Bi1 = 5, Bi2 = 20 and 1 = 2 = 0.1. tivity of the upper wall, 2. Pe = 0.4, A = 1, Bi1 = Bi2 = 5 and 1 = 2 = 0.1.
592 G. Ibez et al. / International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer 39 (2012) 587592
entropy production was analyzed. We have shown that the system
can operate under minimum global entropy generation conditions
that correspond to minimize irreversibilities due to viscous friction
and heat ow in the uid and walls. The results of the present study
may have applications in the design of cooling and heat transfer
devices.
Acknowledgments
G. Ibez and S. Cuevas thankfully acknowledge the nancial sup-
port from PROMEP and CONACYT (Project 131399), respectively.
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