Effect of Rounded Corners on Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow Through Triangular Duct

Abstract

Turbulent flow heat transfer and friction penalty in triangular cross-sectional duct is studied in the present paper. The sharp corners of the duct are modified by converting it into circular shape. Five different models were designed and fabricated. Heat transfer through all the models was investigated and compared conventional triangular duct under similar conditions. The curvature radius of rounded corners for different models was kept constant (0.33 times the duct height). The numerical simulations were also performed and the obtained result validated with the experimental findings and close match observed between them. The velocity and temperature distribution is analyzed at particular location in the different models. Because of rounded corners, higher velocity is observed inside the duct (except corners) compared to conventional duct. Considerable increase in Nusselt number is seen in model-5, model-4, model-3, and model-2 by 191%, 41%, 19%, and 8% in comparison to model-1, respectively, at higher Reynolds number (i.e., 17,500). But, frictional penalty through the model-5, model-4, model-3, and model-2 increased by 287%, 54%, 18%, and 12%, respectively, in comparison to model-1 at lower Reynolds number (i.e., 3600).