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Research Papers: Forced Convection

Forced Convection Flow in a Wavy Channel With a Linearly Increasing Waviness at the Entrance Region

[+] Author and Article Information

Department of Mechanical Engineering, Kuwait University, P.O. Box 5969, Safat, 13060, Kuwaitesam@kuc01.kuniv.edu.kw

J. Heat Transfer 131(1), 011703 (Oct 20, 2008) (7 pages) doi:10.1115/1.2977554 History: Received February 13, 2008; Revised June 14, 2008; Published October 20, 2008

Abstract

This research studies the fluid flow and heat transfer in a wavy channel with a linearly increasing waviness at the entrance region. The considered model consists of a channel formed by two wavy plates described by a sinusoidal profile and maintained at a uniform temperature. The finite element method is utilized to solve the problem. Reynolds numbers are considered in the range of $125 to avoid unsteady flow, and $Pr=0.7$. The global objective of this research is to reduce the pressure drop in the wavy channel due to the developing flow at the entrance region. The effect of the Reynolds number, length of the increasing waviness region, waviness of the wavy wall on the hydrodynamics, and thermal characteristics of the channel is investigated. The result indicates that the linearly increasing waviness at the entrance region significantly reduces the pressure drop in the channel on the other hand, the thermal characteristics of the wavy wall are nearly unaffected.

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Figures

Figure 1

Schematic of the wavy channel configuration with the entrance showing the definition of important geometric parameters

Figure 2

Finite element mesh at (a) the entrance region, for EL*=11.5 and a*=0.5 and (b) a close up view of the wavy wall

Figure 3

Distribution of the local Nusselt number along the wavy wall of the present study and of Wang and Chen’s result (2)

Figure 4

Effect of the entrance on streamlines for a*=0.5, Re=500, and (a) EL*=0 and (b) EL*=11.5

Figure 5

(a) Distribution of the local skin-friction coefficient for a*=0.5 and Re=500 and (b) distribution of the local skin-friction coefficient for a*=0.5 and EL*=11.5

Figure 6

(a) The effect of the Reynolds number on the pressure drop enhancement across the wavy channel and (b) the effect of the Reynolds number on the pressure drop across the wavy channel

Figure 7

Effect of the entrance on isotherms for a*=0.5, Re=500, and (a) EL*=0 and (b) EL*=11.5

Figure 8

(a) Distribution of the local Nusselt number for a*=0.5 and EL*=11.5 and (b) the effect of the Reynolds number on the average Nusselt number

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