Pressure and Flow Characteristics in a Rotating Two-Pass Square Duct With 45-Deg Angled Ribs

Abstract

Measurements are presented of the local velocity and wall static-pressure distributions by using laser-Doppler velocimeter and pressure transducers, respectively, in a rotating two-pass square duct with ribs placed on the leading and trailing walls at an angle of 45 deg to the main stream. The ribs were square in cross section and in a parallel mode of arrangement. The rib-height/duct-height ratio and the pitch/rib-height ratio were 0.136 and 10, respectively. The duct Reynolds number was 1×104 and rotation number Ro ranged from 0 to 0.2. Results are addressed in terms of the evolutions of both main flow and cross-stream secondary flow, the distributions of the pressure coefficient, and the variation of friction factor with Ro. In addition, the relationships between the regional averaged Nusselt number, transverse and convective mean velocity component, and turbulent kinetic energy are documented. Simple expressions are obtained to correlate friction factor with Ro, which are lacking in the published literature for ducts ribbed with 45- deg ribs. The 45-deg ribs are found to reduce the friction loss to 60% of the 90-deg ribs for rotating duct under the same operating conditions. For CFD reference, the fully developed flow condition is absent for the rotating ribbed duct investigated. The measured evolution of complex secondary flow vortices is believed to be a challenge to numerical simulations.