Nusselt Number Ratio Research Articles

Thermo-hydraulic performance inside convergent rectangle channel with large-deformed dimples

The cooling technology of convergent rectangle channel is widely applied in heat exchangers, electronic devices and aerospace, especially in the field of turbine blade internal cooling.A numerical study was conducted to research the thermo-hydraulic performance inside a convergent rectangle channel with large-deformed dimples. The heat transfer and flow characteristics were presented to demonstrate the heat transfer enhancement mechanism. The effect of dimple configuration, dimple depth, and dimple radius on thermo-hydraulic performance were discussed at Reynolds numbers ranging from 15,000 to 65,000. The numerical results revealed that the large-deformed dimple structure disrupts the boundary layer flow, resulting in better mixing between the boundary layer flow and the core fluid. The dimple configuration of diminishing dimples showed better heat transfer performance and lower pressure loss. The Nusselt number ratio, friction factor ratio, and performance evaluation criteria (PEC) increase with rising dimple depth and dimple radius. Within the scope of the present work, the maximum PEC was 1.62 when the dimple configuration was diminishing, the dimple depth was 5mm, and the dimple radius was 10mm.

Study on the thermal control performance of lightweight minimal surface lattice structures for aerospace applications

With the rapid evolution of aerospace technology and the increasing complexity of space environments, the demand for lightweight, thermally insulated, and highly efficient heat dissipation materials in aircraft equipment has surged. This study addresses this critical need by investigating Triply Periodic Minimal Surface (TPMS) lattice structures, offering a novel design approach to enhance spacecraft thermal management under extreme temperatures. Our work introduces a methodology to quantitatively assess the thermal insulation and heat dissipation performance of various lightweight lattice sandwich structures. We constructed implicit function models of low volume fractions, including Gyroid, Diamond, Primitive, and IWP, and conducted experiments using an active cooling setup under controlled heating conditions at 300 °C. Key findings reveal that, at flow velocities ranging from 0.25 to 1.5 m/s, the Diamond model exhibited the highest convective heat transfer coefficient, surpassing the Gyroid, Primitive, and IWP models by 6.9 % to 427.3 %, 87.1 % to 485.6 %, and 1.5 % to 98.7 %, respectively. Conversely, at velocities between 1.5 and 3.75 m/s, the Gyroid model demonstrated superior heat exchange performance, improving by 14.6 % to 67.2 %, 73 % to 167.7 %, and 9 % to 64.8 % compared to the Diamond, Primitive, and IWP models. During thermal insulation tests at temperatures from 200 to 400 °C, the Diamond model showed the best insulation effect, while the Primitive model performed poorly. Based on the experimental data, we established empirical relationships between the Nusselt number, friction coefficient, and Geometric Surface Ratio (GS). These findings not only underscore the significant potential of TPMS lattice structures in aerospace applications but also provide a robust theoretical framework and practical guidelines for achieving efficient thermal management in lightweight aerospace manufacturing.

Nanofluid effect on dual-flow parabolic trough collector performance accompanies with passive technique using experimental data

Purpose Using passive techniques like twisted tapes and corrugated surface is an efficient method of heat transfer improvement, since the referred manners break the boundary layer and improve the heat exchange. This paper aims to present an improved dual-flow parabolic trough collector (PTC). For this purpose, the effect of an absorber roof, a type of turbulator and a grooved absorber tube in the presence of nanofluid is investigated separately and simultaneously. Design/methodology/approach The FLUENT was used for solution of governing equation using control volume scheme. The control volume scheme has been used for solving the governing equations using the finite volume method. The standard k–e turbulence model has been chosen. Findings Fluid flow and heat transfer features, as friction factor, performance evaluation criteria (PEC) and Nusselt number have been calculated and analyzed. It is showed that absorber roof intensifies the heat transfer ratio in PTCs. Also, the combination of inserting the turbulator, outer corrugated and inner grooved absorber tube surface can enhance the PEC of PTCs considerably. Originality/value Results of the current study show that the PTC with two heat transfer fluids, outer and inner surface corrugated absorber tube, inserting the twisted tape and absorber roof have the maximum Nusselt number ratio equal to 5, and PEC higher than 2.5 between all proposed arrangements for investigated Reynolds numbers (from 10,000 to 20,000) and nanoparticles [Boehmite alumina (“λ-AlOOH)”] volume fractions (from 0.005 to 0.03). Maximum Nusselt number and PEC correspond to nanoparticle volume fraction and Reynolds number equal to 0.03 and 20,000, respectively. Besides, it was found that the performance evaluation criteria index values continuously grow by an intensification of nanoparticle volume concentrations.

Thermal performance augmentation of microchannel using curved rectangular winglet vortex generators having rectangular perforation

This article innovatively introduces the application of punched curved rectangular wing vortex generators positioned on opposing sides of a rectangular microchannel. Through a comprehensive approach combining numerical simulations and experimental investigations, the flow dynamics and heat transfer performance of these VGs under turbulent conditions are thoroughly examined. This analysis is performed in the turbulent flow regime, specifically at Reynolds number ranging from 2500 to 3500. The governing equations are solved by using SST k-ω model. To evaluate the behavior of mixed vortices, a range of key metrics is utilized, including the Nusselt number ratio, friction coefficient ratio, and thermal enhancement factor (TEF). The study encompasses variations in opening angles (θ = 0°, 5°, 10°, 15°) and pitch ratios (PR = P/H = 15, 30, 45) to determine their impact on the overall system performance. The findings reveal that the punched curved rectangular winglet VGs effectively induce mixed vortices, leading to an enhancement in local heat transfer rates. However, the presence of fluid jets hinders the formation of other vortices. Compared to a smooth tube, the maximum TEF also experiences a 26 % rise. To validate the findings, the field synergy principle and entropy generation theory was utilized.

Entropy generation and thermal behavior of microchannel fitted with punched curved vortex generators

Utilizing curved vortex generators (VGs) has emerged as a promising way to improve heat transfer in heat exchangers. However, research on the placement of punched rectangular curved winglet VGs on two opposing heat transfer surfaces of microchannel heat exchangers is limited. Through experiments and simulations, the effects of five perforation positions and three pitches on fluid flow and heat transfer were examined. This analysis is performed in the turbulent flow regime (2500 < Re < 3500) and the governing equations are solved by using SST k-ω model, assuming that the fluid is incompressible, has constant thermal properties, and ignores the effects of thermal radiation and gravity. Metrics such as the Nusselt number ratio, friction coefficient ratio, secondary flow intensity, thermal enhancement factor, and entropy generation are used to analyze the flow dynamics of mixed vortices. The results indicate that different perforation positions significantly affect the vortex characteristics, altering heat transfer and pressure loss. Furthermore, the pitch of the VGs plays a crucial role in governing heat transfer and frictional losses. Specifically, the heat transfer rate increased by 12.1 % to 61.1 % compared to empty tubes, accompanied by a rise in pressure loss ranging from 50.6 % to 115.1 %. To validate the findings, the principle of entropy generation was utilized. Notably, under conditions of a Re of 2500, a perforation position proximal to the VG's leading edge (θ = +12°), and a pitch of 15 mm, a remarkable thermal enhancement factor of 1.29 was achieved.

Performance evaluation of a novel parabolic trough solar collector with nanofluids and porous inserts

In this study, the thermal performance enhancement of parabolic trough solar collector (PTSC) with porous strips and nanofluid is visited computationally. The research investigates the effect of variation of the geometry angle of the porous protrusion and nanoparticles on the thermal performance of PTSC system. The tests are performed by varying geometry angles from 5° to 15°, porosity from 0 to 0.7, solar radiation from 400-1000 W/m2, Reynolds number (Re) of 477–1906, and at a fixed height-to-diameter (h/D) ratio of 0.25. The study is also extended by considering copper oxide (CuO) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) based nanofluids with a volume fraction of 3–7 %. Results indicate the presence of nanofluids increases the average Nusselt number ratios by up to 51.39 % compared to water. The research also emphasizes that adding porous obstacles results in a 9.86% enhancement in the average Nusselt number compared to a non-porous version. The thermal performance factor is found to be augmented by 5.32 % and 5.75 % with a change in geometry angle from 5° to 15° for Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids, respectively. Further, at a geometry angle of 15°, h/D=0.25, Re = 1428, and solar radiation of 800 W/m2, the highest thermal performance factor of 1.368 is obtained for CuO nanofluids. With the change in geometry angle from 5° to 15° with Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids, the thermal efficiency increases by 7.73 % and 8.59 %, respectively. At an h/D ratio of 0.25 and a geometry angle of 15°, the absorber tube provides maximum thermal efficiency of up to 59.75 % and 62.96 %, respectively, with a 7 % volume fraction of Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids.

Thermal effectiveness analysis of heat exchange tube with staggered louver-punched V-baffles

An experiment has been conducted to ascertain the optimal approach for enhancing the convective transmission of heat in a heat exchanger tube by periodically positioning staggered louver-punched V-baffle (SLVB) vortex generators on a perforated tape. The louver-punched V-baffles were staggered and set up with two patterns: V-apex directing upstream (VU) and downstream (VD), and each featured a louver-punched aperture to minimize friction loss. The aim of this work was to rise the thermal effectiveness as well as the Nusselt number ratio (NuR) at optimal effectiveness in order to cut down on overall dimension of heat exchangers. Consequently, the research findings focused on behaviors of heat transmission and frictional loss, incorporating generated entropy, through a variety of Reynolds numbers (Re) spanning 29,270 to 4762. The SLVB elements were designed and placed in VU and VD forms using three relative pitches (PR = 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5) as well as six louver-flapped angles (θ = 0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 45°, and 90°), all at the same attack angle (α = 52°), a baffle height ratio (BR = 0.3) and a louver size ratio (LR = 0.73). As demonstrated by the experiment, the θ = 20° generated the best heat transfer of all PR values, up to 6.55 times greater than the smooth tube, despite having a lower friction loss than the θ = 0° (solid baffle). At PR = 0.5, θ = 20° and smaller Re, the optimum thermal effectiveness factor (TEF) and NuR values were, respectively, about 2.65 and 6.55 for the VU SLVB and 2.52 and 6.04 for the VD one. It implied that the TEF strategies can be utilized to anticipate the best effectiveness under identical scenarios. Also, correlations for the critical parameters, namely, Nu, f, and TEF, were estimated and documented.

A comprehensive review of rectangular duct solar air heaters featuring artificial roughness

Abstract Solar air heaters (SAHs) are widely used solar thermal systems with applications in diverse sectors. However, its effectiveness is restrained by low convective heat transfer (HT) coefficients at the absorber plate, leading to inefficient HT, and the elevated temperature of the absorber plate causes significant heat losses, reducing thermal efficiency. This study addresses these challenges by introducing ribs or roughness on the absorber plate creating turbulence in the airflow, resulting in significant improvements. The research investigates various rib configurations, the influence of rib parameters, performance methods, and arrangements to evaluate their HT and friction characteristics. Among these rib configurations, a comparative analysis is done on various factors such as the Nusselt number ratio, thermal enhancement factor, friction factor ratio, and thermal efficiency to optimize distinct roughness parameters and rib arrangement patterns. This study also provides valuable recommendations from existing literature, offering insights into the effective design, prospects, and implementation of SAH systems.

Numerical investigation of the heat transfer and flow pattern on tandem triangle-grooved cylinders

Modifying surface characteristics and geometric structure to regulate heat transfer and flow fields is a classical issue. The study of wake dynamics and heat transfer efficiency in tandem grooved cylinders hold fundamental importance. This research proposes a configuration of tandem cylinders with triangle-grooved surfaces and numerical simulates the vorticity, fluid forces, Strouhal numbers, and convective heat transfer in tandem grooved cylinders. The parameters investigated include orientation angles θ = 0°, 30°, 45°, 60°, 90° and Reynolds numbers Re = 75, 100, 125, 150, 175, 200. This study focuses on how the triangle-grooved angle (θ) and Re affect wake dynamics and thermal performance. Numerical results are validated against available data in the literature for tandem smooth and tandem grooved cylinders. The results indicate that, compared to tandem smooth cylinders, the positive vorticity intensity of tandem grooved cylinders is 35.7 % higher, while the negative vorticity intensity is 23.5 % lower. Further observations show that at θ = 45°, the pressure variation on the upstream cylinder is most significant, approximately twice that at θ = 0° and θ = 90°. Notably, the variation values of the downstream cylinder (β = 0°) at θ = 0° and θ = 45° are triple and double that of the upstream cylinder in TF mode, respectively. Additionally, at θ = 0°, the root mean square lift coefficient of the downstream cylinder reaches the maximum value (Re = 75–100), approximately 1.34. When Re = 125, CL(rms),1 decreases by 15.7 % to 1.13. Particularly, when Re = 100–150, the time-averaged drag coefficient of the downstream cylinder shows a peak value of approximately 1.02. Interestingly, at Re = 200, a tadpole-shaped thermal distribution forms in the wake region of the upstream cylinder. Furthermore, the time-averaged Nusselt number ratio (θ = 0°) exhibits a trend opposite to other cases over a broader range (125 ≤ Re ≤ 200) and peaks at Re = 200, approximately 1.24.

Numerical analysis of heat transfer and fluid flow structures of jet impingement on a flat plate with different shapes of roughness elements

Jet impingement is a heat transfer technique utilized in different applications in industry. It is used for cooling the turbine blade and the combustor wall because of its high cooling rate. The heat transfer (HT) and flow structure of a circular air-impinging jet over a flat target plate with a circular row of 48 roughness elements are numerically investigated using renormalization group k–ε turbulence model. Different shapes of roughness elements, namely cylindrical roughness elements (CREs), droplet roughness elements (DREs), and hemispherical roughness elements (HREs), are examined. The effects of Reynolds number changed from 7,000 to 35,000, and the roughness elements location relative to jet diameter ( s / d ) of 1.5, 2, 2.5, and 3 at a constant jet-to-target plate distance ( H / d ) of 2 are studied. Temperature distribution, local Nusselt number ( Nu ), average Nusselt number (Nuavg ), average Nusselt number ratio (Nuavg,r ), velocity distribution, turbulence kinetic energy, streamline contours, and static pressure ( p ) over the roughness elements are evaluated and discussed. The results showed that the existence of roughness elements has a significant effect on the thermal and hydraulic characteristics. The Nuavg,r for the CREs, DREs, and HREs is up to 1.61, 2.02, and 1.2, respectively. All roughness element shapes increase the flow velocity in the narrow area between the elements and increase the wetted area. CREs augment the HT rates by increasing the turbulence intensity, while DREs reduce the drag force effects.

Experimental investigation of effect of different configurations of semi-circular or half-round ribs on heat transfer enhancement in a rectangular duct

This research study investigated the impact of various configurations of semi-circular or half-round ribs on the thermal performance and frictional factor characteristics of a rectangular duct. During this research study, the ribs were provided on the inner surface of the test section’s bottom wall. Six distinct configurations of semi-circular ribs varying from continuous to hybrid arrangement were used. The range of Reynolds number was varied from 13,500 to 34,800; while the ratio of rib pitch to rib height (P/e ratio) was kept constant at 8. The ratio of the height of rib to hydraulic diameter of duct (also known as blockage ratio) was kept at 0.114. The results of experimental investigation showed that the Nusselt number ratio obtained was ranging from 1.36 to 2.74, while the friction factor ratio ranges from 1.70 to 4.51. The overall enhancement ratio for all configurations obtained was in the range of 1.06–1.80 times to that of plain duct. Among all rib configurations, the hybrid rib configuration showed superior ratio of Nusselt number and intermediate increase in ratio of friction factor as compared to all the other rib configurations. Hybrid rib configuration showed overall enhancement ratio values ranging from 1.45 to 1.80 times as compared to that of plain duct (duct without ribs) within the specified range of Reynolds number. The results of study showed that the hybrid configuration of semi-circular ribs exhibited superior overall thermal enhancement as compared to that of remaining tested rib configurations.

Experimental and numerical investigations of tube inserted with novel perforated rectangular V-shape vortex generators

The utilization of punched vortex generators has been established as an effective means to enhance heat transfer in heat exchangers. However, there are few studies on the use of perforated rectangular winglet pairs in heat exchange tubes and the study of perforation parameters based on this approach in the existing literature. In this paper, three parameters, including three height ratios, four perforation indices, and three pitch ratios, are considered experimentally and numerically. In the Reynolds number range of 7454–13,664, the effects of perforated rectangular vortex generator pairs on fluid flow and heat transfer are obtained by scaling parameters such as Nusselt number ratio, friction factor ratio, thermal enhancement factor, field synergy number, entropy generation, and exergy efficiency. The numerical results indicate that the perforation will lead to a reduction in turbulent kinetic energy in the local multi-longitudinal vortices on the rear side of the vortex generator, resulting in a decrease in local heat transfer as well as friction loss. Meanwhile, the pitch of perforated rectangular vortex generator pairs plays a crucial role in heat transfer and friction loss, enabling an increase in the Nusselt number of smooth tubes by 68–257%. Furthermore, the results are proved using the principle of entropy generation and exergy efficiency analysis. As Reynolds number increases, the thermal enhancement factor gradually decreases. Notably, the maximum thermal enhancement factor of 1.43 is achieved when the Reynolds number is equal to 7454, the height ratio is 0.08, the perforation index is 0.18, and the pitch ratio is 1.04.

Analysis of exergy and heat transfer in a tube fitted with flapped V-baffles

Vortex generator is a device that shows promise in generating streamwise vortices that can be utilized for boosting the rate of heat transmission inside a cooling/heating system with a relatively smaller penalty in terms of friction loss. The primary goal of the current research is to maximize the comparative Nusselt number ratio (Nu/Nu0) to be as large as possible to lower the size of the system while keeping thermal performance as high as feasible to save more energy. Thus, in the current study, the impacts of inserting the flapped V-baffle vortex generator (FBVG) on the thermal effectiveness improvement of a round tube were experimentally investigated. At a fixed attack angle (α = 60°) and baffle blockage ratio (BR = b/D = 0.3), the geometrical behaviors of FBVGs placed periodically along two edges of a straight tape were six different flap angles (θ = 0°, 25°, 35°, 45°, 65° and 90°) and three ratios of baffle pitches (P/D = PR = 2.0, 1.5, and 1.0). The current V-baffles, which were positioned on both tape edges, were designed to reduce friction loss caused by interrupting the central core flow when placed on both tape sides. The measurement results focused on the friction loss and thermal behaviors, including exergy and entropy analyses for Reynolds number from 4750 to 29,270. In the findings, the Nusselt number and friction factor of FBVG at θ = 0° and PR = 1 are, respectively, up to 5.6 and 35.24 times larger than those of the smooth tube. The entropy generation (S˙gen′) seems to decline as θ and PR increase, with the smallest S˙gen′ found at θ = 0° and PR = 1 for lower Re. The FBVG has the greatest exergy efficiency (ηEx) at θ = 0° and PR = 1. To find the true benefits of FBVG, its thermal performance is estimated and seen to reach a maximum at about 2.44 with NuR = 4.65 at θ = 45° and PR = 1. The optimal scenario at θ = 25° and PR = 1 was preferred, however, since it yielded the largest NuR = 5.42 at TEF = 2.39.

Heat transfer enhancement in a triple-layered turbine blade internal cooling channel

An effective measure of enhancing the coupled convection and radiation in the turbine blade internal cooling channel is developed. A triple-layered channel is presented for the first time to further improve the flow organization to suppress the negative effect of secondary flows induced by rotation as well as extend cold surfaces for radiation. Explorations of flow and coupled heat transfer are executed numerically for various channel models. The results manifest that, heat transfer is markedly improved with the triple-layered channel. The highest comprehensive thermal performance is achieved when employing the triple-layered channel with smooth surfaces and ribs (Model 3SW), which can increase the total Nusselt number ratio by 105.78 % and performance evaluation criterion by 18.75 %, comparing with the existing Model 1 N. Besides, the average and maximum wall temperature drop by 54.26 K and 293.02 K, respectively. In addition, the triple-layered channel is demonstrated to have the ability to reduce rotational effects on heat transfer uniformity. The heat transfer difference between the leading and trailing walls induced by the Coriolis force is restricted. It also has the self-adaptive ability to increase the degree of heat transfer enhancement when thermal load increases.

Numerical study of parabolic trough solar collector’s thermo-hydraulic performance using CuO and Al2O3 nanofluids

The current study aims to boost the thermal and hydraulic performance of a parabolic trough solar collector by modifying the absorber tube with a porous obstacle insertion. The research investigates how porous media and nanoparticles together influence the system's thermal performance, considering factors like outlet temperature, average Nusselt number, average friction factor, thermal performance factor, and thermal efficiency at different mass flow rates. To achieve better thermal performance, the base fluid, water, is substituted with Copper Oxide (CuO)-water and Aluminum Oxide (Al2O3)-water nanofluids at concentrations ranging from 3% to 7% by volume. The experiments are conducted at 800–1000 W.m-2 heat flux on the outside tube surface. The finite element method discretizes the governing equations for 3-D fluid flow simulations conducted in COMSOL Multiphysics 6.1 software. The simulation is carried out considering four altered rates of mass flow, ranging from 0.015 kg.s−1 to 0.060 kg.s−1. The findings show that at a Reynolds number of 1428 and a 7% volume concentration, the maximum thermal performance factor recorded is 1.97 and 1.99 for Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids, respectively. Additionally, the absorber tube achieves maximum thermal efficiency of up to 77.93% and 79.03%. Also, the augmentation in the average Nusselt number ratio is 26.27% and 36.74% when using Al2O3 and CuO nanofluids, respectively, with the tube height-to-diameter ratio (h/D) set at 0.42. The average friction factor ratio was reduced by 2.9% using CuO nanofluids compared to Al2O3 nanofluids. Thermal efficiency was enhanced by 7.2% using a porous obstacle insert in the parabolic trough solar collector system compared to a non-porous system.

Numerical investigation on assessing the influence of diverse-shaped hybrid nanofluids on thermal performance of triple tube heat exchanger

The present study explored the effects of hybrid nanofluids, composed of water-based nanoparticles in various shapes (MWCNT-cylindrical, Al2O3-blade, Graphene-platelet, and Fe3O4-brick), within a triple concentric tube heat exchanger (TCTHX). Theoretical and computational modeling was conducted for the flow of hot water and hybrid nanofluids at varying inner annulus mass flow rates (0.1 kg/s to 0.5 kg/s and at a fixed temperature of 70 °C) in the TCTHX; their influence was analyzed by the energetic and exergetic performance and revealing the findings to enhance the heat transfer efficiency.The key finding of the work is that the thermal performance factor (TPF) of the brick-blade hybrid nanofluid in the TCTHX is 4.26, which is the maximum as compared to brick-platelet, brick-cylindrical, blade-platelet, blade-cylindrical, and platelet-cylindrical hybrid nanofluids for all mass flow rates. The brick-blade hybrid nanofluid is the most economical in the TCTHX system, followed by the brick-cylindrical hybrid nanofluid. Overall, the combination of brick-blade hybrid nanofluid performs best in the TCTHX system in terms of performance index, TPF, and CBR. Brick-platelet hybrid nanofluid is 7.20% less efficient than water at a mass flow rate of 0.1 kg/s. Platelet-cylindrical hybrid nanofluid exhibits 12.71% and 5.09% lower heat transfer rate and performance index than delaminated (DI) water at the lowest mass flow rate in the TCTHX system. Brick-platelet hybrid nanofluids show a reduced Nusselt number ratio for the tested mass flow rates. Entropy generation in blade-platelet hybrid nanofluid is 19.49% lower than in (DI) water.

Effects of Flow Pulsation and Surface Geometry on Heat Transfer Performance in a Channel With Teardrop-Shaped Dimples Investigated by Large Eddy Simulation

Abstract Large eddy simulation was performed to investigate heat transfer performance of a pulsating flow over teardrop-shaped dimples. A total of six geometries of dimpled surfaces were examined for dimple arrangements of in-line/staggered/original and dimple inclination angle of 0–60 deg. Pulsating flows were generated by sinusoidally varying the volume-averaged velocity. The pulsation frequency and amplitude were changed for the Strouhal number of 0–0.60 and the root-mean-square velocity amplitude normalized by the bulk flow velocity of 0–0.14. The results showed that the surface-averaged Nusselt number and friction factor were larger for the pulsating flow case than for the steady flow case. The surface-averaged Nusselt number ratio and the friction factor increased with the Strouhal number up to the Strouhal number of 0.30. For the Strouhal number larger than 0.30, they decreased with the Strouhal number or stayed almost constant. Consequently, the heat transfer efficiency index increased with the Strouhal number. The increase in the local Nusselt number ratio due to the flow pulsation was observed at the leading-edge region of the dimples. The results of the streamlines near the dimple showed that the swirling separation bubble was located closer to the leading-edge region due to the pulsation, which resulted in the increase of the absolute values of the turbulent heat flux and the local Nusselt number ratio.

Thermal effectiveness enhancement in heat exchange tube using louver-punched V-baffles

An efficient technique for reducing frictional loss by punching holes on the surface of vortex generators has been extensively researched, particularly in the form of louver-punched holes. This article describes an experimental and numerical examination of thermal effectiveness in a heat exchange tube with louvered baffle vortex generators (LBVG). As air was directed to the LBVG-inserted tube with a consistent heat flux, the flow was measured in a turbulent regime. The LBVGs were set at 30° attack angle (α) and mounted at regular intervals on a two-sided flat tape with one relative baffle height (b/D = RB = 0.25) and pitch (P/D= RP = 1) at the first step. The baffles had five different louver angles (θ = 0 ˗ 90°) and three different relative louver sizes (LR= e/b = 0.4, 0.56, and 0.72). The Nusselt number ratio (NuR), friction factor ratio (fR), and thermal effectiveness factor (TEF) were utilized to quantify the performance of LBVGs. The findings showed that LBVGs had much lower fR values than solid baffles (without holes), whereas NuR values decreased slightly. When θ and LR were reduced, the fR and NuR for LBVGs increased until they resembled those for solid baffles. Through numerical simulations using the realizable k-ε turbulent model based on the finite volume method, the flow and temperature fields of various cases were generated; their results were verified via analysis of the fluid flow patterns. The computational findings revealed that the jet flow from the louver hole could boost heat transfer, and TEF of LBVGs varied depending on the placement of the hole. According to the computations, the optimal TEF at RP = 0.75, LR = 0.4, and θ1 = 20° is roughly 2.64, and the hole should be placed toward the baffle ends rather than in the middle.

Heat transfer and flow features of a Bifacial-enhanced U channel

High-performance blade cooling improves turbine inlet temperature and thus promotes thermal efficiency of gas turbine. In the present study, a Bifacial-enhanced U channel used for rotor blade cooling is proposed and studied. The definition of the Bifacial-enhanced U channel is that a rotating U channel with orientation angle of 90° to rotating shaft and covered with ribs on both pressure and suction sides, and that the radial outward flow passage of the channel must locate near the pressure side of a blade, and that the radial inward coolant path must situate close to the suction side of the blade. The heat transfer and flow features of the Bifacial-enhanced U channel are experimentally and numerically studied by transient liquid crystal and Reynolds-averaging Navier–Stokes approaches under constant Re of 16,000 and Ro from 0 to 0.024. The novelties of the work are to research how the ribs play roles and to investigate the interactions of ribs, Coriolis force and bend on the flow field and heat transfer features of the Bifacial-enhanced U channel. Wall Nusselt number ratio distributions, pressure loss and total performance of the channel varied with Ro are obtained and discussed in the study. The results indicate that the Bifacial-enhanced U channel possesses superior heat transfer performance on both pressure and suction sides, which is the source of the “Bifacial-enhanced”. Meanwhile, the application of the Bifacial-enhanced U channel on a rotor blade is demonstrated for the first time, providing a guide for next-generation turbine design.

Numerical study of flow and heat transfer in the channel of panel-type radiator with semi-detached inclined trapezoidal wing vortex generators

Abstract To improve heat dissipation performance of panel-type radiator for transformer, this study investigated the flow and heat transfer characteristics of semi-detached inclined trapezoidal wing vortex generator (SDITW) in a closed channel on the air-side of the radiator. The SDITW was compared with the inclined delta wing (IDW) and inclined trapezoidal wing (ITW) channels. The effects of SDITW relative separation height (e 1/e 2), longitudinal pitch (p l), blockage ratio (e/(0.5H)), and inclination angle (α) were analyzed. First, compared with the IDW and ITW channels, the SDITW channel generates stable corner vortices and produces weaker transverse vortices and lower flow resistance due to the semi-detached structure of the wing. For Re = 5,125–15,375, the overall heat transfer performance (performance evaluation criteria; PEC) of the SDITW channel increases by 0.5–8.9 and 1.7–4.9% as compared with IDW and ITW channels, respectively. Furthermore, for the same e/(0.5H) and α, both the Nusselt number ratio and friction factor ratio of SDITW channel increase as e 1/e 2 and p l decrease. For p l = 70 mm, the SDITW channel exhibits a relatively better overall heat transfer performance. For the same e 1/e 2 and p l, the PEC of SDITW channel is maximum and the overall heat transfer performance is best when e/(0.5H) = 0.3 at Re = 10,250 and α = 30°–60°.