Forced heat convection in a reciprocating duct fitted with 45 degree crossed ribs

Abstract

This experimental study investigated heat-transfer physics of forced convection in a reciprocating square duct fitted with 45° crossed ribs on two opposite walls. The parametric conditions involved several Reynolds, pulsating and buoyancy numbers, respectively, in the ranges of 600–10 000, 0–10, and 0–0.14 with five different reciprocating frequencies tested, namely, 0.67, 1, 1.33, 1.67 and 2 Hz. The rib-induced flows in the static duct produced an augmentation of heat transfer in the range of 260–300% compared to the smooth-walled situation. The reciprocating heat-transfer data reconfirmed the appearance of large-scale wavy-like axial heat transfer distribution that differed significantly from the stationary results. The manner in which the pulsating force and convective inertia, with and without buoyancy interaction, interactively affected the local heat transfer along the rib-roughened surface was illustrated using a number of experimentally based observations and extrapolations. The buoyancy interaction in the reciprocating duct reduced heat transfer, which effect was enhanced by increasing the pulsating number, but appeared to be a weak function of Reynolds number. When the Reynolds and pulsating numbers were relatively low, a range of heat transfer impediments, that could lead the spatial-time averaged heat-transfer to levels about 71% of nonreciprocating values, was observed. A further increase of pulsating number resulted in a subsequent heat-transfer recovery, which tendency could lead to heat-transfer improvement from the nonreciprocating level. An empirical correlation to evaluate the spatial-time averaged heat transfer over the reciprocating ribbed duct was developed to assist the design activity. The possibility to further enhance heat-transfer via the use of angled ribs in a reciprocating duct is confirmed, but it is important to ensure that the range of reciprocating flow parameters produced does not create heat-transfer impediment in order to avoid overheating situations.