Finned Pipe

Application ID: 31061


This app demonstrates the following:

  • Geometry parts and parameterized geometry
  • A results table form object containing outputs

Finned pipes are used for coolers, heaters, or heat exchangers to increase heat transfer. They come in different sizes and designs depending on the application and requirements.

When the fins are placed outside the pipe, they increase the heat exchange surface of the pipe so that a cooling or heating external fluid can exchange heat more efficiently. When placed inside the pipe, it is the inner fluid that benefits from an increased heat exchange surface. Instead of fins, grooves can also increase the heat exchange surface, particularly inside the pipe where space is limited.

With this app, you can customize a long cylindrical pipe with predefined inner and outer fins or grooves to observe and evaluate their cooling effects. The app calculates the thermal performance of a pipe that is filled with water and then cooled or heated by surrounding air with forced convection.

Various geometric configurations are available for the outer structure (disk-stacked blades, circular grooves, helical blades, helical grooves, or none) and for the inner structure (straight grooves or none).

The app computes the dissipated power and the pressure drop as functions of the geometry and air velocity.

This application example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products: