Flow characteristics of air in square duct using delta wing vortex generators

Abstract

Summary Performance improvement in terms of improving heat transfer coefficient and reducing pressure drop becomes essential in heat exchange applications and a large number of methods for reducing pressure drop exist in the literature and the present work is an investigation on use of delta wings as vortex generators for reducing pressure drop. Methodology includes air from a blower entering the test section through orificemeter and differential-micro manometer to measure the flow rate and pressure drop across the test section. Depending upon the pressure drops, friction factors for smooth and rough surface of the duct are estimated. The effect of geometrical parameters of delta wing and duct aspect ratio on friction factor ratios are reported Based on Reynolds number in the range of 8000−24000. The geometrical parameters of vortex generators varied in this study were the pitch-to-vortex generator height ratio (p/e), vortex generator height to duct hydraulic diameter ratio (e/Dh), aspect ratio of vortex generator (ar). Results are reported for 0.1