Abstract
This paper combines the leaf vein structure with fins which are the essential parts of heat exchangers to enhance the overall heat transfer performance, without significantly increasing thermal resistance. BACKGROUND: The idea of applying bio-mimetic leaf vein structures to fins is inspired by the excellent nutrient transport capabilities of leaves in nature, which is the result of natural selection, and this coincides with the principles used in heat exchangers. METHODS: The study established a three-dimensional, steady-state mathematical model for the air-side fluid of a leaf vein fractal fin. RESULTS: Through mathematical simulations, this study focused on the impact of the fractal branch angle, fin spacing, and Reynolds number on air-side heat transfer coefficient and pressure drop with the Reynolds number ranging from 500 to 2500. CONCLUSIONS: Comprehensively considering the uniformity of the flow field, the air-side heat transfer coefficient, and the resistance factor, the leaf vein fractal fin with a branching angle of 30°, a first-level vein width of 1 mm, a second-level vein width of 0.8 mm, and a third-level vein width of 0.4 mm exhibits the optimal air-side heat transfer performance. At a Reynolds number Re = 575, the heat transfer coefficient is improved by 51.6%.