Computational fluid dynamic simulations and heat transfer characteristic comparisons of various arc-baffled channels

Abstract

In this analysis, the baffling method is used to increase the efficiency of channel heat exchangers (CHEs). The present CFD (computational fluid dynamics)-based work aims to analyze the constant property, steady, turbulent, Newtonian, and incompressible fluid flow (air), in the presence of transverse-section, arc-shaped vortex generators (VGs) with two various geometrical models, i.e., arc towards the inlet section (called arc-upstream) and arc towards the outlet section (called arc-downstream), attached to the hot lower wall, in an in-line situation, through a horizontal duct. For the investigated range of Reynolds number (from 12,000 to 32,000), the order of the thermal exchange and pressure loss went from 1.599–3.309 to 3.667–21.103 times, respectively, over the values obtained with the unbaffled exchanger. The arc-downstream configuration proved its superiority in terms of thermal exchange rate by about 14% than the other shape of baffle. Due to ability to produce strong flows, the arc-downstream baffle has given the highest outlet bulk temperature.

Keywords

• thermal exchange rate
• pressure loss
• baffling method
• turbulent forced-convection
• numerical solution