CHAPTER

2
Literature review

2.1 Introduction

Extended surfaces of fins have been used for the enhancement of heat transfer for over a
century. However in the last decade, extensive research works have been carried out in this
field because of the requirement of low cost high performance heat transfer equipments
with less weight, volume and cost. The first two sections in this chapter present a review of
the numerous works in the field of fins under simultaneous heat and mass transfer.
Moreover, in the last 20 years, fin design has undergone a considerable improvement by
the introduction of constructal theory in the design of fins. The third section reviews the
design of fins using the constructal theory. Various powerful and efficient analytical
techniques such as Adomian decomposition method, Differential Transform Method,
Variational Iteration Method etc. have used widely to handle the highly non-linear
differential equations of fins and these have been reviewed in Section 2.4. The volume and
the weight of the devices increase and the costs of production rise when fins are used and
hence determining the optimum dimensions of fins is of vital importance since the
optimum fin are the best po. A review of the various works related to optimum fin design
using traditional and metaheuristic techniques is presented in Section 2.5. Finally, the last
section in this chapter presents the research gaps

Bejan [9] found the constructal law and put forward the constructal theory
[10,11,12,13,14,15] in 1996. The first application of this law was the heat conduction
optimization of an electronic device [9]. The constructal law is a law of physics, which is
far more general than “minimum entropy generation”. It can be described as follows [9]:
“For a finite-size

2.1 One dimensional Theoretical Investigations on Wet fins

A lot of analytical and numerical investigations have been carried out in the last few years
in fins of different geometries with various profiles under simultaneous heat and mass
transfer. The thickness of fins is generally very small as compared to the other dimensions
and hence most of the reported analyses were one dimensional. When moist air flows over
a surface whose temperature is less than the dew point temperature of the ambient air, then
moisture condenses on the fin surface by releasing the latent heat and the air immediately
adjacent to the fin surface becomes saturated. Physically, for wet fins, the driving force for
sensible heat transfer is the temperature difference between the incoming air stream and
the fin surface and that for mass transfer is the humidity ratio difference between the
incoming air stream and the saturated air immediately adjacent to the fin surface. The first
researcher who made an attempt to determine analytically the overall efficiency of a wet
fin under fully wet condition was Threlkeld [1]. He analyzed a longitudinal fin with
rectangular profile by considering the enthalpy difference as the driving force for the
combined heat and mass transfer process. For this analysis, the air temperature was
considered to be linearly related to the corresponding saturated air enthalpy. This model
developed by Threlkeld, where enthalpy difference is considered as the driving force for
the combined heat and mass transfer process is called the single-potential method. In ARI
Standard 410-81 [2], a one dimensional analysis similar to Thelkeld [1] was presented, but
by neglecting the thermal resistance of the condensate film. Both the analyses [1, 2]
showed that the wet fin efficiency is less than the corresponding dry fin efficiency and the
wet fin efficiency does not vary significantly with the variation of the relative humidity of
the ambient air. This single potential method was also used by Pirompugad and
Wongwises [3] for determining the efficiency of straight fins of rectangular, triangular,
concave parabolic and convex parabolic profiles under partially wet surface conditions.
The partially wet fin efficiency was found to decrease rapidly with the increase in the air
relative humidity. A comparative study done by Kilic and Onat [4] between wet and dry
vertical rectangular fins showed that the optimum fin length, fin effectiveness and average
fin temperature in case of wet fins was lower than that of dry fins of the same volume. This
work was extended to triangular fins by Toner et al. [5]. Furthermore, wet rectangular and

8
triangular fins having the same length and the same mass were compared and the
conditions of their usage were pointed out.

The other method where the driving forces for the sensible heat transfer and mass
transfer processes are treated separately is called the dual potential method. This dual
potential method was first used by McQuiston [6] and thereafter most of the theoretical
works on wet fins have been carried out by using this method. Analyses using this dual
potential method have been described in the subsection 2.1.1 and 2.1.2.

2.1.1 Analyses using linear relation

For calculating the mass transfer process in wet fins, a relation is required between the
humidity ratio of saturated immediately air adjacent to the fin surface and the
corresponding fin surface temperature. The condensate film that forms on the fin surface
acts a barrier between the incoming air stream and the cold fin surface. But since the
thickness of this condensed water layer is very small, its thermal resistance will be very
low and it can be neglected. Hence, the air immediately adjacent to the condensate layer is
considered to be saturated at the fin surface temperature. The variation of humidity ratio of
this saturated air immediately adjacent to the fin surface with the corresponding fin surface
temperature follows the saturation line on the psychometric chart. This saturation line is
curvilinear in nature but a linear variation may be used as a good approximation when the
temperature difference between the fin base and fin tip is small. Using a linear relation
simplifies the governing equations to a good extent and hence many researchers have
employed this linear variation.

McQuiston [6] considered that the humidity ratio difference between the incoming
air and the saturated air at the fin surface is linearly related to the corresponding
temperature difference and carried out an analysis of a fully wet longitudinal fin with

rectangular profile. A relation of the form (where C is a constant) was

used and it was concluded that fin efficiency decreases with the increase in air relative
humidity. When cooling and dehumidification processes occur simultaneously, the
condensate film that forms on the fin surface is not a still layer, but continuously moves
down and drains off the fin surface. The effect of this moving condensed water film was
considered by Xu et.al [7] while determining the efficiency of a rectangular fin. The fin
efficiency obtained from this model was compared with that obtained from McQuiston’s

9
model [6], in which the effect of the moving condensate film was not included. It was seen
that at low condensing rates, the two models agreed well. But at higher condensing rates, a
significant difference existed between the two models. Though this modified model
proposed by Xu et.al is more accurate but since, the condensing rates are low in air cooling
and dehumidification processes in the evaporator of air conditioning and refrigeration
apparatuses, the McQuiston model may be used.
Slightly different from McQuiston’s model, Elmahdy and Briggs [8] used a linear

relation of the following formmbetween the humidity ratio of saturated air and the

corresponding fin surface temperature

(2.1)

where and are constants determined from fin base and fin tip conditions.
Using the above relation, Elmahdy and Briggs [8] determined numerically the
efficiency of constant thickness circular and longitudinal fins under fully wet conditions.
Later on, various research works [9-34, 52] were done by using the above linear model.
Wu and Bong [9] provided closed form expressions for the efficiency of a straight fin
under both fully wet and partially wet conditions. Their results showed that there was not
much change in the fin efficiency with the variation of the relative humidity of the ambient
air for fully wet fin, but for partially wet condition, relative humidity showed a significant
effect on the fin efficiency. A partially wet fin assembly of straight fins with rectangular
cross-section was examined analytically by Salah El-Din [10]. It was established that
partially wet surface results if the fin is short and for low relative humidity condition.

Fins enhance the rate of heat transfer to or from a primary surface but simultaneously
they increase the weight and the pumping power of the fluid to pass through the fins. Thus,
it is necessary to find the optimized structure of fins so that better fin performance are
obtained under the given space, weight or cost constraints. The optimum dimensions for a
fin of given profile can be obtained either by maximizing the heat transfer rate for a given
fin volume or by minimizing the fin volume for a given heat transfer rate. Performance
parameter analysis and optimization analysis of fully wet longitudinal fins with triangular
and trapezoidal profiles were carried out analytically by Kundu [11]. For the optimization
analysis, an approach based on the Lagrange multiplier technique was adopted and the
results are presented by maximization of heat transfer rate for a given fin volume. From the
analysis, it was concluded that optimum wet fins transfer more heat and require larger

10
thickness to length ratio than that of dry fins of the same fin volume. Kundu and Das [12]
presented a generalized analytical technique based on Frobenius power series expansion
for determining the temperature distribution and fin performance of fully wet longitudinal,
annular and pin fins, having both trapezoidal and triangular profiles. It was found that the
efficiency of wet longitudinal fin with trapezoidal profile was found to be higher than its
counterpart having triangular profile. Further, by using the Lagrange multiplier technique,
some design curves are generated to determine the optimum dimensions when the fin
volume is specified. Sharqawy and Zubair [13] presented closed form analytical solutions
for the efficiency of a fully wet annular fin. The analysis showed that the fin efficiency
under wet condition can be obtained by multiplying the dry fin efficiency by some
correction factor and a chart was presented in graphical form as functions of the fin base
and dew point temperatures for determining this correction factor. Certain regression
equations (based on analytical solution) were developed to calculate the optimum fin
geometry when the fin volume or the heat transfer rate was specified. The above analysis
has been repeated by the same authors for straight [14] and pin [15] fins of rectangular,
triangular, convex parabolic and concave parabolic profiles. Longitudinal and pin fins of
uniform thickness under both fully wet and partially wet conditions were analyzed in a
comparative way by Kundu [16]. An important conclusion that was found from the
analysis was that for the same thermo-geometric and psychometric parameters, a
longitudinal fin gives higher efficiency than the corresponding pin fin. It is known that the
amount of heat transfer near the fin tip is very small. Though a tapered profile fin requires
less amount of fin material, but it may not applicable to all heat exchange applications,
probably, owing to its typical geometry and cost. Hence a uniform cross-sectional fin with
a step reduction in local cross-section (SRC) may not only result in more effective
utilization of fin material but also promotes ease of fabrication. Performance of
longitudinal and pin fins of SRC profile was studied analytically by Kundu [17] under
fully dry, fully wet and partially wet conditions. An optimum design parameter analysis
was also carried out by using the Lagrange multiplier technique and a comparison between
SRC fins and the uniform cross-section (UC) fins at the optimum condition showed that
the optimum SRC fins transfers more heat than the UC fin of identical volume. An annular
fin with a step change in the local fin thickness called annular stepped fin (ASF) was
analyzed by Kundu [18] under both fully and partially wet conditions. A parametric study
was done on the temperature distribution and fin efficiency and the optimum design
parameters of an ASF are presented by maximizing the heat transfer rate for a given fin

11
volume. Further, a comparative study of an ASF with an annular fin of the same volume
showed that the optimum ASF transfers more heat than the annular fin for the same
thermo-physical and psychometric parameters. In actual practices, the analysis of both fins
and the supporting structure are necessary. Analysis of a fin assembly is more complicated
than the analysis of individual fins since more parameters are involved. Kundu and Barman
[19] determined the thermal performance and optimum dimensions a fin assembly of
concentric circular fins of trapezoidal profile under both fully wet and partially wet
conditions by using the Frobenius Power series method. In a fin assembly, both the fin tip
temperature and fin base temperature are unknown. Two approaches are used for
calculating the psychometric parameters associated with the linear relation. In one
approach, the temperature distribution as well as the fin tip and fin base psychometric
conditions are determined by considering guess values of temperature at the fin tip and fin
base through an iterative procedure, whereas in the other approach dew point temperature
is considered at the fin tip for fully wet condition and only fin base temperature is
determined through iteration. The results have been taken by using both the approaches
and a considerable difference between the two has been found due to the error associated
with the second approach. Sabbaghi et.al [20] determined closed form analytical solutions
for the efficiency of a fully wet semi-spherical fin. Sharqawy et.al [21] provided a
numerical solutions for the temperature distribution and fin efficiency of annular fins of
rectangular, triangular, concave parabolic and convex parabolic profiles for a wide range
of the various psychometric and geometric parameters under both fully and partially wet
conditions.This analysis was extended by the Moinuddin et. al [22] to determine the
optimum fin dimensions of the various profiles. From the comparative study of the various
fin profiles, an important conclusion was that the rectangular fin profile gives the least heat
transfer rate for a given fin volume compared to the other profiles. Pashah el al [23]
developed closed form analytical solutions for the efficiency of hyperbolic annular fins
under both fully and partially wet conditions, The analytical solutions were compared with
that obtained from a numerical solution using actual non-linear psychometric correlations
of an air-water vapour mixture and the two results were found to agree very well with each
other. Further, based on the analytical solutions, some regression equations were
developed to determine the optimum fin dimensions when either the fin volume of the heat
transfer rate was specified.

12
 In the last decade, heat transfer through porous fins has become an emerging area of
research. Due to the presence of pores, though the effective thermal conductivity reduces
but this effect is counteracted by the simultaneous increase in effective surface area for
convection and thereby resulting in improved heat transfer. Porous fins under
dehumidifying conditions was first analyzed theoretically by Hatami and Ganji [24]. The
Least square method (LSM) was used for determining the temperature distribution and
efficiency of fully wet circular Aluminum porous fins having rectangular, triangular and
convex cross-sections. The effect of various parameters like relative humidity, porosity,
Darcy number, Rayleigh number and Lewis number on the wet fin efficiency was analyzed
for all the three profiles and the main conclusion was that the rectangular profile results in
a greater efficiency than the other two profiles. The thermal conductivity of metals is not
constant and it may increase or decrease with the rise in temperature depending upon the
metal and the temperature range. Though the thermal conductivity varies non-linearly with
temperature, but a linear variation is used as an approximate assumption in many analyses.
Also, the convective heat transfer coefficient is not uniform over the surface. The
convective heat transfer coefficient is a complex parameter and it depends upon a number
of physical parameters such as fin geometry, properties of the fluid, nature of the surface
etc. Hatami et al. [25] considered a linear variation of fin material thermal conductivity
with temperature and a power law type of variation of convective heat transfer coefficient
with fin surface temperature as given below

(2.2)

(2.3)
In [25], the fin efficiency of a fully wet semi-spherical porous fin was determined by using
LSM. The same temperature dependent relations were employed in [26, 27, 31-34] for
analyzing wet porous fins. Aluminum porous pin fins with variable cross-sections
(rectangular, triangular, convex parabolic and concave parabolic sections) under fully wet
condition was analyzed by Vahabzadeh et. Al [26]. Efficiency of such type of fully wet
porous fins was found to be much better than the corresponding fully wet straight porous
fin. Closed form analytical solutions for the temperature distribution and efficiency of fully
wet exponential type of porous fins were presented by Turkyilmazoglu [27]. The efficiency
of the exponential porous wet fins are much better than that of straight porous wet fins..

13
Considering both convection and radiation, Khani et al [28] determined the temperature
distribution and heat transfer rate in radial fins of rectangular cross-section.

The condensate layer that deposits on the fin surfaces may lead to bridging between
the adjacent fins (in a fine fin array) and also it may cause corrosion in some metallic fins
like Aluminum fins. Hence the fin surface may be coated by some hydrophilic material in
order to prevent the accumulation of the condensate. Such fins which have a coating layer
are called composite fins. Pashad et. Al [29] studied the coating layer effect on the thermal
performance of a variable profile composite annular fin under fully wet condition. The
coating resistance effects are governed by a dimensionless parameter called coating Biot
number and for different operating conditions, it was found that there was a limiting value
of this parameter for which the coating resistance effects become negligible.

In the analyses described till now, a particular fin profile is selected prior to the
investigation and the optimum dimensions are determined either by maximizing the heat
transfer rate for a given fin volume or by minimizing the fin volume for a given heat duty.
Another approach for optimization consists of determining the profile of a fin for a
particular geometry (flat or curved primary surface) after satisfying the optimality criteria.
Though the profile obtained by this second approach are complex and expensive to
manufacture, yet they present the best effective utilization of material (more heat transfer
rate per unit volume). These minimum profile fins determined from the second approach
may be useful in air conditioning apparatus of aircrafts and automobiles, where
reduction in weight and space constraints are of utmost importance Using this second
approach, Kundu [30] determined the optimum profiles of longitudinal, annular and pin
fins for dry, fully wet and partially wet conditions by using the variational principle. The
optimum profiles were obtained by maximizing the heat transfer rate and the constraint
was either the fin volume or both the fin volume and length. It was found that the optimum
profile obtained by considering only the fin volume as the constraint results in fragile
geometry at the fin tip, which poses manufacturing difficulty. To remove this problem and
to restrict the length of the fin, fin length was taken as an additional constraint along with
the fin volume in the optimization analysis. Considering temperature dependent thermal
conductivity and convective heat transfer coefficient, Huang and Chung [31] presented an
algorithm using the conjugate gradient method (CGM) to determine the optimum shapes of
fully wet longitudinal fins and spines based on the desired fin efficiency and fin volume.
The results showed that when the Biot number, relative humidity, and thermal conductivity

14
are varied, the optimum fin efficiency and optimum fin shape are also subjected to change.
The above analysis was repeated by the same authors [32-34] for estimating the optimum
shape for fully and partially wet annular fins. The same approach was also adopted by
Kundu and Lee [35] to determine the optimum shape of longitudinal and pin fins under
dry, fully wet and partially wet conditions.

2.1.2 Analyses considering polynomial relationship

A lot of studies have been done by considering a linear variation of the humidity ratio of
saturated air with the corresponding fin surface temperature. But this assumption of linear
relation is approximate only and can be used only if the temperature difference between
the fin base and fin tip is small. The humidity ratio of saturated air adjacent to the fin
surface varies nonlinearly with the corresponding saturation temperature according to the
saturation curve on the psychometric chart. The saturation curve on the psychometric chart
is curvilinear in nature. Many researchers have established this non –linear relation as
quadratic [36, 37, 50, 51], and cubic one [38-48, 42, 44] by using the regression analysis.
Coney et al. [36, 37] were the first researchers to have employed a nonlinear variation of
humidity ratio of saturated air with the corresponding fin surface temperature for
calculating the mass transfer process in wet fins. They used a polynomial relationship of
degree two between these two parameters and determined numerically the temperature
distribution, fin effectiveness and the condensate film thickness of a fully wet straight
vertical fin with rectangular cross-section in laminar humid air cross-flow. An important
conclusion is that the thermal resistance of the condensate film can be neglected for
relative humidity up to 90% and for dry bulb temperatures up to 35°C. Liang et.al [38] first
developed a more accurate cubic relationship of the following form between the humidity
ratio and saturation temperature

(2.4)

where the constants C0, C1, C2 and C3 were determined by using regression analysis for the

temperature range and their values are

[1] respectively.

15
 Since its first usage, the above cubic relationship has been employed by several
authors [39-48, 42, 44]. Naphon [39] analyzed the heat transfer characteristics of an
annular fin numerically under dry, fully wet and partially wet conditions by using the
implicit central difference method. A detailed analysis of the effects of air relative
humidity, Biot number, inlet temperatures of the hot and cold working fluids and the fin
dimensions on the temperature distribution were presented. Performance of fully wet
straight fins of triangular profile was investigated by Kundu et al. [40] by employing an
analytical technique called the Differential Transform method. Kundu [41] analyzed a
longitudinal fin of straight profile under both fully wet and partially wet conditions. The
temperature distribution in the fin was obtained by solving the governing equations by
using an approximate analytical technique called Adomian Decomposition method and
subsequently the temperature distribution and the performance parameters were analyzed
for a wide range of the various thermo-geometric and psychometric parameters. In both
these analyses [40, 41], the results were compared with those obtained from the previous
linear models [12, 14] and significant differences between the two results were observed.
However the difference between the two models was found to decrease with the decrease
in relative humidity of the ambient air and at low relative humidity, the linear model may
be used as a good approximation. Performance parameters of fully wet annular fins of
rectangular and triangular profiles were determined and analyzed by Kundu and Barman
[42] by using the Differential transform method. Also, the optimum design parameters
were presented by maximizing the heat transfer rate for a constraint fin volume and by
employing the Lagrange Multiplier technique. A comparative study of the temperature
distribution and performance parameters of a fully wet rectangular fin assembly with
Sharqawy and Zubair’s [14] linear model for a wide range of thermo-physical, geometric
and psychometric parameters was done by Kundu and Miyara [43]. . Considering
temperature dependent thermal conductivity of the fin material and convective heat
transfer coefficient as given by (2.2) and (2.4) respectively, Kundu and Lee [44]
determined the thermal performance of fully wet straight fins of rectangular, triangular,
convex and exponential profiles. Further an optimum design parameter analysis was done
by maximizing the heat transfer rate for a given fin volume .From the optimization study, it
was concluded that for the same fin volume and the same design conditions, the
exponential profile fin produced the largest maximum heat transfer rate but it was very
close to that of the triangular profile. Considering temperature dependent thermal
conductivity of the fin material, Kundu et al. [45] analyzed the thermal performance of

16
exponential fins under fully wet surface conditions by using the Differential Transform
Method.
Using the second approach of optimization, Kundu [46] determined the optimum
profile shape of longitudinal fins under both fully and partially wet conditions by
minimizing the fin volume for a constraint heat duty. It was found that the optimum profile
shape varies with the variation of thermo-physical parameters and psychometric
parameters. Also, the performance parameters for the optimum fin profile were also
determined. The same analysis was repeated by Kundu and Lee [47] for pin fins under dry,
fully wet and partially wet conditions. Considering temperature dependent heat transfer
coefficient as given by (2.3), Kundu and Lee [48] determined the optimum profile of
longitudinal fins under both fully and partially wet conditions. A convergent optimum
profile shape was found for constant heat transfer coefficient and also, for variable heat
transfer coefficient with a decreasing function along the length of the fin . The same authors
[49] compared the optimum profile shape of fully wet longitudinal fins with that obtained
from the linear model [30] and significant differences were noticed. The optimum shape
and fin volume of wet fins was found to be dependent on design constraints as well as on
the psychometric properties of air.

2.2 Two dimensional theoretical investigations on Wet fins

All the literature summarized above considered one dimensional heat conduction model.
But this one dimension heat conduction model is valid only if Biot number in the thickness
direction is less than 0.1. Chen [50] developed a two dimensional theoretical model for the
analysis of fully wet straight fins of rectangular profile and it was found that the overall fin
efficiency obtained from this analysis was lower than that of the McQuiston’s one
dimensional model. Liang et.al [38] presented a comparative analysis of wet fin efficiency
between a one dimensional analytical model and a two dimensional numerical model of a
longitudinal fin with rectangular cross-section. For the analysis, the thermal resistance of
the condensate layer was taken into consideration by assuming that the heat transfer across
the condensate layer was by conduction. It was found that the one dimensional analytical
model showed a reasonably good agreement with the two dimensional numerical model at
low air velocity. But at higher air velocity, the deviation in the results between the one
dimensional analytical model and the two dimensional numerical model cannot be ignored.
Lin and Jang [51] demonstrated a numerical two dimensional fin efficiency analysis of an
elliptic fin under dry, fully wet and partially wet conditions .The effects of variation of axis

17
ratios, Biot numbers, and air humidity on the fin efficiency was studied and compared with
the corresponding circular fin having the same perimeter. The results showed that for both
fully dry and wet conditions, elliptic fin efficiencies are up to 4–8% greater than the
corresponding circular fin efficiencies having the same perimeter. Performance and
optimization analysis of a fully wet rectangular fin considering two dimensional heat
conduction was done by Kundu and Lee [52]. This two dimensional analysis may
sometimes become complicated. Alternatively, a relatively simple modified one
dimensional model was developed, where a coupled integral approach was used to
approximate the two dimensional equation across the fin cross section as a one
dimensional equation. The optimization analysis was done by using the Lagrange
multiplier technique and by maximizing the heat transfer rate for a given fin volume. An
important conclusion was that at low values of Biot number and thickness to length ratio,
the deviation of the results of the one dimensional model from that of the two dimensional
model and modified one dimensional model is negligible. But this deviation increases as
the values of Biot number or thickness to length ratio increases.

2.3 A survey of constructal fins of various shapes.

Recently the application of constructal theory for enhancing the heat transfer through
fins has emerged as an important area of research. Constructal theory was born by applying a
new geometric solution philosophy by Bejan [1] to conductive cooling of electronics. This
Constructal theory [44] applied to the volume to point or point to volume flow aims to
decrease global flow resistance by furnishing low resistive flow links in the flow field. The
flowing object may be heat, fluid, goods, people etc. Constructal theory uses two or more flow
regimes with a decreasing resistivity. The majority of the flow surface is served by the
flow regime with the highest resistivity and the remaining small part of the surface is
occupied by the links of flow with much lower flow resistivity. In a surface to point flow,
the flow from any point inside the surface is first directed to a low resistive link of flow
using the most resistive flow regime and then the low resistive flow link delivers the flow
to a lower resistive link of flow. This sequence of delivery of the flow from a link to a
lower resistive link is continued until the last and the lowest resistive link channels the
flow to a point located at the border of the flow surface. The process is reversed for a point to
area flow problem The objective of realizing the flow with minimal resistivity starts with
geometric optimization of the smallest flow surface, called the elemental flow surface, in

18
order to maintain minimal flow resistance. The next step in the constructal solution is
geometric optimization of a larger flow surface that is formed by assembly of a number of
optimized elemental flow surfaces on the upper and lower sides of another low resistive
link of flow. The sequence of assembly of previously optimized flow surfaces into a larger
flow surface and geometric optimization of the larger surface is continued until the
required flow surface is obtained. The process of assembly and optimization steps leads to
formation of a tree network of low resistive flow links inside the flow surface.
Constructal design has been applied to a large variety of engineering problems, e.g., [1–4], to optimize shape
and
structure [5]. Recently, constructal design has been applied

successfully to the geometrical optimization of fins.

Constructal theory applied to the area to point or point to area flow problems aims to decrease
the global flow resistance by furnishing low resistive flow links in the flow area. Constructal theory
expects to improve the flow performance by increasing the complexity of the low resistive flow
links.
Recently the application of constructal theory [53] for geometrical optimization of
fins has emerged as an important area of research. Constructal design is the principle of
maximization of global performance subject to global constraints in systems that are free to
morph. The constructal optimization of paths for internal currents was first proposed by
Bejan [53] in the context of pure heat conduction, with application to the cooling of heat
generating devices. This problem [53] consisted of a finite size volume generating heat
volumetrically, which is being cooled through a heat sink located on one side and a finite
amount of high conductivity material is available. The application of the constructal
method to this problem showed that the optimized architecture has tree-shaped skeleton
formed by high-conductivity material and the rest of the material fills the interstices, and
generates heat at every point of the given volume. This constructal design method was
extended to three dimensional conductive and convective circular fins by Alebrahim and

Bejan [54] Considering one dimensional heat conduction, Bejan and Almogbel [55]
carried out constructal optimization of T-shaped fins losing heat to the ambient by
combination of conduction and convection. The optimization was done by maximizing the
global thermal conductance subjected to total volume and fin material constraints. It was

19
found that the thermal performance of optimized T shaped fin was much better than that of
longitudinal fin that fill the same volume and uses the same amount of fin material .Also,
Tau shaped fins (which) exhibits only a slight decrease in global thermal conductance
relative to their T-shaped counterparts but Tau-shaped fins fill the allocated space in a
better way. A tree-like fin was optimized by using the constructal design method by
Almogbel [56]. Heat transfer rate for optimum tree shaped fin was higher than optimum T-
shaped fin that fill the same volume and use the same amount of fin material. The
performance of tree-shaped fin increased as the number of pairs of branches was increased.
However, this improvement in performance reached a point, where more geometric
complexity was not justified by the corresponding little gain of performance. Considering
two dimensional heat conduction, Lorenzini and Rocha [57] carried out a numerical work
on the minimisation of the global thermal resistance of the Y-shaped fins by constructal
optimization method by taking the total fin volume and fin material volume as constraints.
The results showed that the the thermal resistance of the optimized Y-shaped fin was
smaller than that for the T-shaped fins. The same authors [58] considered a T–Y shaped fin
by inserting a cavity between the two branches of T-shaped fin, and the constructal
optimization was done by minimizing the global thermal resistance subject to three
constraints: the total volume, the fin material volume, and the cavity volume. The results
show that smaller cavity volume and larger fins volume improve the performance of the
assembly of fins.. Constructal optimization of the twice Y-shaped assemblies of fins was
performed by ZhiHui et al. [59] and it was found that thermal resistance of the optimized
twice Y-shaped assemblies of fins decreased by 36.37% compared with that of optimized
once Y-shaped assembly of fins. Thus, proved again that the larger the number of freedom
degrees, the better the system performance. Kundu and Bhanja [60] established an
analytical model for thermal performance and optimization of a T-shaped fin subjected to
variable thermal conductivity of fin material and convective heat transfer coefficient.
Working on the same shape but considering porous surface, Bhanja and Kundu [61]
predicted the temperature distribution and performance parameters of a T-shaped fin. A
performance parameter analysis and optimization analysis of a constructal T-shaped fin
exposed to both convective and radiative environment and considering variable thermal
conductivity and heat transfer coefficient was presented by Bhanja and Kundu [62]. Chen
et al [632] did the onstructal optimization of T-shaped assembly with entransy dissipation
rate ( minimiza-tion as the objective function.Numerical optimization of T-shaped
assemblies of fins cooling a cylindrical solid body with internal heat generation was done

20
by Lorengini et al. [64] by using the constructal theory. When number of fins is equal to 1
or 2, the optimal configuration proved to be the one with slender tributaries and thicker
stem. However, when the number of fins in the assembly exceeded 2, the optimized
configuration had slender stems and shorter tributaries. The reason is that the tributaries
length is limited by the presence of the neighboring fins. assembly of fins so that the
system is not enough free to morph. Construcal design of helm shaped fin with internal
heat sources by considering the minisation of the thermal resistance or minimization of
entransy dissipation rate as objective fuction was done in [ 65-67]. Yang et al. [68],
designed a heat sink with circular pin fins by the constructal law. By maximized the heat
transfer rate from the heat sink under fixed heat sink and fin material volumes. Chen et al.
[69], used the entropy generation minimization method in associatiom with the constructal
theory to optimize the heat sink with circular pin fins. T Biserni el al [70] T-shaped fins
cooling a trapezoidal solid body with internal heatgeneration and used the construcal
theory along with the exhaustive search and genetic alogithm to determine the optimum
geometric dimensions of the assembly. Mustafa [71] maximized the heat transfer density rate
from a multi-scale diamond-shaped pin fins cooled by mixed convection under fixed pressure
drop based on constructal design . In a recent work,Das and Kundu [72] carried out geometric
optimization of T-shaped fin under both dry and wet condition by employing the modified
differential evolution(MDE) search algorithm.

2.5 Analytical work using Adomian Decomposition method, Variational

Iteration Method, Differential Transform Method and Homotopy
Perturbation Method

The exact solution of the governing differential equation with linear boundary condition can be
easily obtained by simple mathematics such as variable separable method, Runge–Kutta methods,
Bessel functions, etc.

Many scientific problems and physical phenomena are modeled by nonlinear ordinary or partial
differential equations. In most cases, these problems do not have an exact solution associated
with them. As such, much attention has been devoted to the newly developed methods to
construct approximate analytic solutions of nonlinear equations. R

21
Another advantage of the VIM is that the method gives
an analytical expression as a solution. This is a superiority when compared to mesh-based numerical
methods.
Adm- It consists of splitting the given equation into linear and nonlinear parts by inverting the

highest order derivative operator contained in the linear operator on both sides of the equation.
It decomposes the unknown function into a series whose components are to be determined and
decomposing the non linear function in terms of special polynomials called Adomian polynomials
and finding successive terms of the series solutions by recurrent relationship.

Most physical problems related to fins can be modeled by non-linear ordinary or partial
differential equations and this non-linearity becomes more when variable thermal
parameters such as variable thermal conductivity, variable heat transfer coefficient,
variable emissivity, variable heat generation etc are considered. Hence, as the non-linearity
of the problem becomes more, getting an exact solution becomes either impossible or
cumbersome. As such, much attention has been devoted to construct approximate analytic
solutions of these nonlinear equations. Over the years, a number of analytical and semi
analytical techniques like Adomian decomposition method (ADM), Variational Iteration
methods (VIM), Differential Transform Method (DTM), Homotopy Analysis Method,
Collocation method, Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM), etc have been developed and
these techniques have been widely used by various researchers to solve the non-linear
governing equations of fins.
The Adomian Decomposition Method (ADM) developed by George Adomian [a,b], is a
semi analytical methods that can provide convenient solutions to a wide range of linear or
nonlinear, ordinary or partial differential equations as well as delay and integral equations. The
ADM does not impose any linearization, perturbation or discretization and leads to the convergent
solutions rapidly. In many cases, the solution of linear and nonlinear problem can be obtained in
closed form. Chiu and Chen [c] used ADM to solve the governing equations of a convective
rectangular fin with variable thermal conductivity. The results obtained by using ADM
were compared with that obtained from a numerical scheme, based on Finite difference
scheme and the difference between the two results was found to be less than 0.2%.
Considering temperature dependent heat transfer coefficient, Chang [d] and Lesnic and
Heggs [e] used the same decomposition method to analyse straight fin with uniform cross-
section. This decomposition technique was also used to solve the highly non-linear
governing equations of constructal T-shaped solid fins [f,g], T-shaped porous fins [h],

22
hyberbolic annular fin [i] and stepped fin[j]. Another analytical technique that can
effectively, easily and accurately solve a large class of non-linear problems is the Differential
Transform Method, proposed by Zhou[k]. This method was used by Joneidi et al [b] to analyse
convective straight fins with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. Considering both
convection and radiation, Mosayebidorcheh and Mosayebidorcheh [c] carried out a comparative
study between DTM and VIM for the analysis of a convective radiative fin with temperature
dependent thermal conductivity. When compared with a numerical solution, DTM was found to be
more accurate than VIM. This transfomation techinique was used to study the heat transfer through
porous fin of different profiles [d,e], pin fins of various profiles [f] and annular stepped fins [g]. A
comparative study done by Abdel-Halim Hassan [53] between DTM and ADM explained
the advantages and disadvantages of both these methods.

Atay and Coskun [m] used another analytical technique called the Varaiional Itration Method
(VIM) [k] to study the temperature distribution in longitudinal fins with temperature
dependent heat transfer coefficient. The same authors [n] also analysed convective straight
fins with temperature dependent thermal conductivity by using both ADM and VIM. A
comparison of the results were compared with that obtained from Finite element analysis
showed that VIM produced better results than ADM . Ndlovu and Moitsheki [p] used the same
technique to determine the temperature distribution of radial moving fins of hyperbolic and
rectangular profiles with temperature dependent thermal conductivity and heat transfer coefficient.
Torabi et al [q] carried out a comparative study of ADM, DTM and VIM with the numerical
solution for a radiative radial fin with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity. It was found
from the analysis that DTM showed a greater accuracy than ADM and VIM.

investigated the abilities and

disabilities of these techniques

The Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM)[a], which is a combination of homotopy in topology

and classic perturbation techniques, provides analytic or approximate solutions for a wide variety
of problems arising in different fields. Rajabi [b] used HPM to obtain the temperature distribution
of convective straight fins with rectangular profile. Roy et al [c] analysed convective radial fins
with temperature-dependent thermal conductivity by using HPM. The results were compared with
that obtained from ADM, VIM and numerical scheme and it was found that HPM is more accuarate
than VIM and ADM but slightly less accurate than DTM. Roy and Mallick [d] determined the
temperature distribution of a straight fin using HPM and compared the results with that obtained by
using ADM and numerical scheme. HPm was also used for the thermal analysis of porous fins by
various researchers [e, f]. Ganji and Sadighi [bb] compared the solutions of HPM and VIM with

23
the exact solution for various non-linear heat transfer problems and it was found than VIM is
slightly more accurate than HPM.

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