Evolution of flow structure and heat transfer enhancement mechanism in impinging jets excited by piezoelectric fan

While jet impingement is recognized for significantly enhancing local convective heat transfer, there remains a considerable challenge in further improving its heat transfer performance and uniformity to meet the growing demand for efficient heat transfer. To address this challenge, this study proposes a method that integrates a piezoelectric fan into a continuous jet, taking advantage of the piezoelectric fan's vibration to deliver pulsating excitation to jet impingement while preserving its continuity. An experimental study is performed to identify the roles of piezo-fan integration on improving convective heat transfer from a continuous circular jet onto a flat target surface. The tests are performed under Rej=2,500∼7,500 (circular jet), s/d = 2∼28 (non-dimensional fan-to-jet distance) and L/d = 2∼8 (non-dimensional jet-to-target distance). In addition, few numerical simulations regarding the flow fields are also made to illustrate the mutual interaction mechanism between piezo-fan and continuous jet. The findings reveal that, in the longitudinal configuration, the average values of heat transfer enhancement factor (χ) and heat transfer uniformity factor (ξ) are approximately 13% and 0.5% higher, respectively, compared to the transverse configuration. In the longitudinal arrangement, the significance of the piezoelectric fan amplifies as the circular nozzle gradually distances itself from the target surface. This fan assumes a pivotal role in augmenting both the uniformity and efficiency of heat transfer associated with the circular jet. Conversely, when the piezoelectric fan moves beyond a specific s/d value (s/d = 10), the interaction between intermittent flow and the wall-jet experiences complete cessation. Despite the existence of a fountain effect resulting from the interaction between the piezoelectric fan and the circular jet in the longitudinal configuration, its discernible impact on overall heat transfer attenuation is minimal. The insights gained from this study will be valuable in improving active strategies for jet impingement and promoting the development of piezoelectric functional devices.