Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Correlations for Square Channels With V-Shaped Ribs at High Reynolds Numbers

Abstract

Heat transfer coefficients and friction factors are measured in a 45 deg V-shaped rib roughened square duct at high Reynolds numbers, pertaining to internal passages of land-based gas turbine engines. Reynolds numbers in this study range from 30,000 to 400,000, which is much higher than prior studies of V-shaped rib roughened channels. The dimensions of the channel are selected to ensure that the flow is in the incompressible regime. Blockage ratio e/D ranges from 0.1 to 0.18 and the spacing ratio P/e ranges from 5 to 10. Reported heat transfer coefficients are regionally averaged, measured by isothermal copper plates. Results show that the heat transfer enhancement decreases with increasing Reynolds number. The friction factor is found to be independent of the Reynolds number. The thermal performance decreases when the Reynolds number increases. 45 deg V-shaped ribs show a higher thermal performance than corresponding 45 deg angled ribs, consistent with the trend established in literature. Correlations for the Nusselt number and the friction factor as function of Re, e/D, and P/e are developed. Also developed are correlations for R and G (friction and heat transfer roughness functions, respectively) as a function of the roughness Reynolds number (e+).