Experimental Heat Transfer and Friction in Channels Roughened With Angled, V-Shaped and Discrete Ribs on Two Opposite Walls

Experimental investigations have shown that the enhancement in heat transfer coefficients for air flow in a channel roughened with angled ribs is on the average higher than that roughened with 90° ribs of the same geometry. Secondary flows generated by the angled ribs are believed to be responsible for these higher heat transfer coefficients. These secondary flows also create a spanwise variation in heat transfer coefficient on the roughened wall with high levels of heat transfer coefficient at one end of the rib and low levels at the other end. In an effort to basically double the area of high heat transfer coefficients, the angled rib is broken at the center to form a V-shape rib and tests are conducted to investigate the resulting heat transfer coefficients and friction factors. Three different square rib geometries, corresponding to blockage ratios of 0.083, 0.125 and 0.167, with a fixed pitch-to-height ratio of 10, mounted on two opposite walls of a square channel in a staggered configuration are tested in a stationary channel for 5000 < Re < 30000. Heat transfer coefficients, friction factors and thermal performances are compared with those of 90°, 45° and discrete angled ribs. The V-shape ribs are tested for both pointing upstream and downstream of the main flow. Test results show that: a) 90° ribs represent the lowest thermal performance, based on the same pumping power, and is essentially the same for the 2:1 change in blockage ratio, b) low blockage ratio (e/Dh =0.083) V-shape ribs pointing downstream produced the highest heat transfer enhancement and friction factors. Amongst all other geometries with blockage ratios of 0.125 and 0.167, 45° ribs showed the highest heat transfer enhancements with friction factors less than those of V-shape ribs, c) thermal performance of 45° ribs and the lowest blockage discrete ribs are among the highest of the geometries tested in this investigation, and, d) discrete angled ribs, although inferior to 45° and V-shape ribs, produce much higher heat transfer coefficients and lower friction factors compared to 90° ribs.