Experimental characterization of thermally enhanced polymer composite heat exchangers

The latest developments in thermally enhanced polymer composite materials have opened opportunities in the design and fabrication of novel effective heat exchangers, having excellent heat transfer characteristics, chemical resistance, and both lower weight and cost compared with metallic materials. In this study, a thermally enhanced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) polymer parallel plate cross-flow air-water heat exchanger prototype is manufactured by injection molding and experimentally characterized. The polymeric exchanger thermofluid performance is found to be comparable to that of a conventional aluminum exchanger having the same geometry, demonstrating its potential for air-liquid cooling of electronic equipment.