Nusselt Number Behavior on Deep Dimpled Surfaces Within a Channel

Abstract

Experimental results, measured on a dimpled test surface placed on one wall of a channel, are given for a ratio of air inlet stagnation temperature to surface temperature of approximately 0.94, and Reynolds numbers ReH from 12,000 to 70,000. These data include friction factors, local Nusselt numbers, spatially-resolved local Nusselt numbers, and globally-averaged Nusselt numbers. The ratio of dimple depth to dimple print diameter δ/D is 0.3, and the ratio of channel height to dimple print diameter is 1.00. These results are compared to measurements from other investigations with different ratios of dimple depth to dimple print diameter δ/D to provide information on the influences of dimple depth. At all Reynolds numbers considered, local and spatially-resolved Nusselt number augmentations increase as dimple depth increases (and all other experimental and geometric parameters are held approximately constant). These are attributed to: (i) increases in the strengths and intensity of vortices and associated secondary flows ejected from the dimples, as well as (ii) increases in the magnitudes of three-dimensional turbulence production and turbulence transport. The effects of these phenomena are especially apparent in local Nusselt number ratio distributions measured just inside of the dimples, and just downstream of the downstream edges of the dimples.