Heat transport based on hydrodynamics and the local entropy generation rate in straight and serpentine rectangular packed narrow channels

Abstract

This work is concerned with the pressure drop (frictional) and local entropy generation rate for the water-toluene, water-benzene, and water-p-xylene (aqueous-organic) two-phase flow through the straight and serpentine rectangular narrow channels, packed with irregularly shaped sand particles of different diameter. The widely used Ergun equation for the calculation of pressure drop in packed bed is modified for the application in randomly packed straight and serpentine narrow rectangular channels in a horizontal orientation. New correlations for the convective heat transfer coefficient are proposed for the flow through the straight and serpentine packed channels. The flow dynamics other than the temperature gradient, on the local entropy generations for the liquid-liquid flows in the packed straight and serpentine channels, are enunciated. The influence of the changing diameter of the packing material and the fluid mixture on the local entropy generation were demonstrated in the present context. The packed straight channel acquires a lower-pressure drop in the absence of Dean flow. The packed serpentine channel of the same dimension, having less entropy generation rate for the same temperature driving force, establishes its efficiency for the more beneficial application to design the heat transport equipment at the higher mass flow rate, provided the same diameter of the packing material and the fluid mixture at the expense of higher pressure drop.