Thermal Performance Assessment of Turbulent Flow Through Dimpled Tubes

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This paper presents the heat transfer augmentation and friction factor characteristics by means of dimpled tubes. The experiments were conducted using the dimpled tubes with two different dimpled-surface patterns including aligned arrangement (A-A) and staggered arrangement (S-A), each with two pitch ratios (PR = p/Di = 0.6 and 1.0), for Reynolds number ranging from 9800 to 67,000. The experimental results achieved from the dimpled tubes are compared with those obtained from the plain tube. Evidently, the dimpled tubes with both arrangements offer higher heat transfer rates compared to the plain tube and the dimpled tube with staggered arrangement shows an advantage on the basis of heat transfer enhancement over the dimpled tube with aligned arrangement. The increase in heat transfer rate with reducing pitch ratio is due to the higher turbulent intensity imparted to the flow between the dimple surfaces. The mean heat transfer rate offered by the dimpled tube with staggered arrangement (S-A) at the lowest pitch ratio (PR = 0.6), is higher than those provided by the plain tube and the dimpled tube with aligned arrangement (A-A) at the same PR by around 127% and 8%, respectively. The empirical correlations developed in terms of pitch ratio (PR), Prandtl number (Pr) and Reynolds number, are fitted the experimental data within ±8% and ±2% for Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f), respectively. In addition, the thermal performance factors under an equal pumping power constraint of the dimple tubes for both dimpled-surface arrangements are also determined.