Characteristics of Flow Symmetry and Heat Transfer of Winglet Pair in Common Flow Down Configuration

Abstract

The effect of transverse pitch between a pair of delta-winglet vortex generators arranged in a common flow down configuration on the symmetrical flow structure and heat-transfer performance was numerically investigated. The results showed that symmetrical longitudinal vortices form a common flow down region between the vortices. The fluid is induced to flow from the top towards the bottom of the channel in the common flow region, which is advantageous to the heat transfer of the bottom fin. The vortex interaction increases and the vortex intensity decreases along with the decrease in transverse pitch of vortex generators. Vortex interaction has a slight influence on pressure penalty. The Nusselt number decreases with increasing vortex interaction. The vortices gradually attenuate and depart from each other during the process of flowing downward. A reasonable transverse pitch of delta-winglet vortex generators in a common-flow-down configuration is recommended for high thermal performance.