Effects of Channel Geometries and Acceleration on Heat Transfer of Hydrocarbon Fuel

Abstract

The convective heat transfer enhancement and deterioration of the supercritical hydrocarbon fuel in the regenerative cooling channels of a scramjet were investigated numerically. This study focused on the heat transfer enhancement and deterioration suppression of the spiral rectangular channels with enhanced heat transfer effects resulting from the enhanced turbulence intensity and induced spiral flow. As a result, compared with the straight rectangular channel, the maximum temperature of the spiral rectangular channel with a pitch of 20 mm was reduced by 31.3%. Although the cross-sectional shape and heat transfer area of the rectangular channel and the spiral rectangular channel were the same, the spiral rectangular channel with a short pitch had significant effects of heat transfer enhancement and deterioration suppression. Furthermore, the influence mechanisms of the acceleration field on the convective heat transfer were explored. Results indicate that acceleration has a significant effect on the heat transfer of the supercritical hydrocarbon fuel in the straight rectangular channel, but has little influence on the heat transfer of the spiral rectangular channel with a pitch of 20 mm.