Influence of corrugated jet plates on internal heat transfer and flow dynamics of double-wall cooling: experimental-numerical approach

Abstract

In the present study, combined experimental and numerical investigations were carried out to analyze the fluid flow dynamics and heat transfer of impinging jets in a corrugated double-wall structure for exhaust nozzle cooling operating at high temperatures. The sinusoidal wavy plate, with multi-jet holes positioned at its trough, served as the jet plate, creating a staggered configuration with respect to the effusion holes. The transient thermochromic liquid crystal (TLC) method was employed to determine the local distribution of the Nusslet number on the flat effusion plate in a wind tunnel at small Reynolds numbers (ranging from 450 to 2700 based on the jet hole diameter (d)). In the numerical part of the study, the k-ω SST turbulence model verified with the TLC data was used to solve the RANS equations. The effects of jet-to-plate spacing (Have/d = 1.6–3.6), corrugated plate amplitude (A/d = 0.2–0.8), effusion hole diameter (de/d = 0.6–1.5), and Reynolds numbers were examined in detail. Our results showed that the introduction of the corrugated structure in the jet plate altered the high-velocity region pattern within the jet hole, leading to a 16 %-81 % reduction in jet core length compared to the flat jet plate. At a relatively high wave amplitude (A/d ≥ 0.5), the vortex structure underwent significant changes, inducing a higher level of turbulence kinetic energy in the near-wall region of the target chamber. This led to enhanced heat transfer near the stagnation and effusion hole regions compared to the flat double-wall cooling. The effusion hole diameter exerted a minimal effect on the overall Nusselt number of the corrugated double-wall cooling. At very low Reynolds numbers (Rej 〈900), the flow and heat transfer characteristics in corrugated double-wall cooling resembled those observed in flat double-wall cooling.