Uneven Wall Temperature Effect on Local Heat Transfer in a Rotating Two-Pass Square Channel With Smooth Walls

Abstract

The influence of uneven wall temperature on the local heat transfer coefficient in a rotating, two-pass, square channel with smooth walls is investigated for rotation numbers from 0.0352 to 0.352 by varying Reynolds numbers from 25,000 to 2500. The two-pass square channel, composed of 12 isolated copper sections, has a length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio of 12. The mean rotating radius to the channel hydraulic diameter ratio is kept at a constant value of 30. Three cases of thermal boundary conditions are studied: (A) four walls at the same temperature, (B) four walls at the same heat flux, and (C) trailing wall hotter than leading with side walls unheated and insulated. The results for case A of four walls at the same temperature show that the first channel (radial outward flow) heat transfer coefficients on the leading surface are much lower than that of the trailing surface due to the combined effect of Coriolis and buoyancy forces. The second channel (radial inward flow) heat transfer coefficients on the leading surface are higher than that of the trailing surface. The difference between the heat transfer coefficients for the leading and trailing surface in the second channel is smaller than that in the first channel due to the opposite effect of Coriolis and buoyancy forces in the second channel. However, the heat transfer coefficients on each wall in each channel for cases B and C are higher than case A because of interactions between rotation-induced secondary flows and uneven wall temperatures in cases B and C. The results suggest that the effect of uneven wall temperatures on local heat transfer coefficients in the second channel is greater than that in the first channel.