Recent advances in the prediction of the thermal properties of syntactic metallic hollow sphere structures

Abstract

The effective thermal conductivity of Syntactic Metallic Hollow Sphere Structures (MHSS) was tested by making use of three different approaches such as Finite Element Method and a Lattice Monte Carlo Method and an analytic Maxwell model. Three dimensional model geometries exhibiting cubic symmetries were used in the Finite Element analyses, which were plotted for primitive cubic technology versus the free volume. Lattice Monte Carlo method was used to determine the effective thermal conductivity of two dimensional models of MHSS. The effective thermal conductivity was determined by evaluating the random walks of heat particles that explore the geometry. Lattice Monte Carlo method yielded a similar result such as the body centered cubic Finite Element structure with a similar porosity and moderated agreements with the numerical findings, which were observed through Maxwell approach. A strong dependence of the effective thermal conductivity on the material composition also was found.