Effect of wing-pitch ratio of double-sided delta-wing tape insert on the improvement of convective heat transfer

Abstract

After publishing an article in which the impact of wing-width ratio of double-sided delta-wing tape (T-W) inserts on thermal-hydraulic performance [Wijayanta et al., Appl. Therm. Eng. 145 (2018) 27–37] were investigated, we have extended our work to modified enhanced heat transfer area design for wing-pitch ratio (P/W) acting on the geometric features of delta-wing tape inserts. There are a limited number of studies in this area regarding the wing-pitch ratio. In the current study, T-W inserts with P/W of 1.18, 1.47, and 1.65 were manufactured and evaluated to improve single-phase convective heat transfer, under the conditions of a Reynolds number between 5,300 and 14,500, with water used as the working fluid. T-W inserts with a P/W of 1.18 offer the highest average Nusselt number, with an increase of approximately 177% compared to a plain tube. However, the friction factor is 11.6 times greater compared to a plain tube, showing that the friction loss is more significant with T-W inserts. In addition, T-W inserts with a P/W of 1.18 produce the greatest thermal performance factor of 1.15. Generally, Nusselt number, friction factor, and thermal performance factor of the heat exchanger increase following the decrease of P/W of the T-W inserts. In this study, the empirical correlations have been modeled using the obtained experimental data.