Computation of flow and heat transfer in two‐dimensional rib‐roughened passages, using low‐Reynolds‐number turbulence models

Abstract

Low‐Re turbulence models are used in the computation of convective heat transfer in two‐dimensional ribbed passages. The cases computed include ribbed annular channels, pipes and plane channels. The models investigated cover both zonal models, that obtain the near‐wall dissipation rate from the wall distance, and full low‐Re models. Effective viscosity modes and simple (basic) second‐moment closures are used. Zonal models display predictive weaknesses in the rib‐induced separation region, but return reasonable heat transfer levels. For the low‐Re models an alternative length‐scale‐correction term to the one proposed by Yap is developed, which is independent of the wall distance. This wall‐independent correction term is found to improve heat transfer predictions, especially for the low‐Re k‐ε model. The low‐Re models produce a more realistic heat transfer variation in the separation region and reasonable Nusselt number levels. The differential second‐moment closure (DSM) models improve heat transfer predictions after re‐attachment and over the rib surface. The effect of Reynolds number on the Nusselt number is not, however, fully reproduced by the models tested.