Spatially Resolved Surface Heat Transfer for Parallel Rib Turbulators With 45 Deg Orientations Including Test Surface Conduction Analysis

Abstract

Spatially resolved Nusselt numbers, spatially-averaged Nusselt numbers, and friction factors are presented for a stationary channel with an aspect ratio of 4 and angled rib turbulators inclined at 45 deg with parallel orientations on two opposite surfaces. Results are given at different Reynolds numbers based on channel height from 9000 to 76,000. The ratio of rib height to hydraulic diameter is 0.078, the rib pitch-to-height ratio is 10, and the blockage provided by the ribs is 25 percent of the channel cross-sectional area. Nusselt numbers are determined with three-dimensional conduction considered within the acrylic test surface. Test surface conduction results in important variations of surface heat flux, which give decreased local Nusselt number ratios near corners, where each rib joins the flat part of the test surface, and along the central part of each rib top surface. However, even with test surface conduction included in the analysis, spatially-resolved local Nusselt numbers are highest on tops of the rib turbulators, with lower magnitudes on flat surfaces between the ribs, where regions of flow separation and shear layer re-attachment have pronounced influences on local surface heat transfer behavior. The augmented local and spatially averaged Nusselt number ratios (rib turbulator Nusselt numbers normalized by values measured in a smooth channel) decrease on the rib tops, and on the flat regions away from the ribs, especially at locations just downstream of the ribs, as Reynolds number increases. With conduction along and within the test surface considered, globally averaged Nusselt number ratios vary from 3.53 to 1.79 as Reynolds number increases from 9000 to 76,000. Corresponding thermal performance parameters also decrease as Reynolds number increases over this range.