Measurement and Analysis of Laminar Heat Transfer Coefficients in Micro and Mini-Scale Ducts and Channels

Abstract

Heat transfer in micro- and miniscale ducts and channels is considered. In particular, issues of thermal performance are considered in systems with constant wall temperature at low to moderate Reynolds numbers or small dimensional scales that lead to conditions characteristic of thermally fully developed flows or within the transition region leading to thermally fully developed flows. An analysis of two approaches to representing experimental data is given: one using the traditional Nusselt number, and the other using the dimensionless mean wall flux. Both approaches offer a number of advantages and disadvantages. In particular, it is shown that while good data can be obtained that agree with predicted heat transfer rates, the same data can be problematic if one desires a Nusselt number. Other issues such as boundary conditions pertaining to measuring thermally developing and fully developed flow Nusselt numbers are also discussed in detail.