Modulated heat transfer tube with short conical-mesh inserts: A linking from microflow to macroflow

Abstract

This paper creates new method that uses microflows through mesh pores to modulate flow and temperature fields. Modulated heat transfer tube (MHTT) was constructed by suspending consecutive conical-mesh inserts in a tube. Because there are too many 3D mesh pores (10–100μm size) for a conical mesh insert, numerical simulations in laminar flow regime were performed by an 3D to 2D conversion of mesh pores applying equal equivalent diameter criterion and total flow area criterion of mesh pores. The multiscale grid generation linked micron scale of mesh pores and macroscale of the tube. Covering the present data ranges, MHTT had Nusselt numbers which are 1.4–4.1 times of that in a bare tube, PEC (performance evaluation criterion) was up to 2.2, demonstrating excellent heat transfer enhancement at low flow rate pumping cost. The perfect MHTT performance comes from the distinct flow field: an attached hydraulic boundary layer having large velocity and its gradient near the tube wall, a weak circulating flow region upstream of the mesh insert and a weakly positive flow region downstream of the mesh insert. A thin thermal boundary layer on the tube wall was reached to enhance heat transfer. The periodic unit length S and diameter of the conical mesh insert δ were optimized. The varied slopes of Nu versus Re were found and explained while increasing Re. There are best matches of PPI (pores per inch) and Re (Reynolds number). Low PPI mesh insert was suggested at low Re, high PPI mesh insert deformed streamlines to deviate from the perfect flow and temperature fields. Meanwhile, high PPI mesh insert had better performance at high Re. Low PPI mesh insert had good performance, which can be further improved by raising PPI. Because metallic mesh screen is commercialized and cheap, MHTT has wide potential engineering applications.