A series of experiments was conducted to study the effect of twisted-tape width on the heat transfer and pressure drop with laminar flow in tubes. Data for three twisted-tape wavelengths, each with five different widths, have been collected with constant wall temperature boundary condition. Correlations for the friction factor and Nusselt number are also available. The correlations predict the experimental data to within 10 to 15 percent for the heat transfer and friction factor, respectively. The presence of the twisted tape has caused the friction factor to increase by a factor of 3 to 7 depending on Reynolds number and the twisted-tape geometry. Heat transfer results have shown an increase of 1.5 to 3 times that of plain tubes depending on the flow conditions and the twisted-tape geometry. The width shows no effect on friction factor and heat transfer in the low range of Reynolds number but has a more pronounced effect on heat transfer at the higher range of Reynolds number. It is recommended to use loose-fit tapes for low Reynolds number flows instead of tight-fit in the design of heat exchangers because they are easier to install and remove for cleaning purposes.

Issue Section:
Gas Turbines: Heat Transfer
Topics:
Heat transfer, Laminar flow, Pressure drop, Friction, Reynolds number, Flow (Dynamics), Geometry, Boundary-value problems, Design, Heat exchangers, Wall temperature, Wavelength
1.
ASME, 1986, Measurement Uncertainty, ANSI/ASME PTC 19.1-1985, Part 1.
2.
Ayub
Z. H.
, and
Al-Fahed
S. F.
,
1993
, “
The Effect of Gap Width Between Horizontal Tube and Twisted Tape on the Pressure Drop in Turbulent Water Flow
,”
Int. J. Heat Fluid Flow
, Vol.
14
, pp.
64
–
67
.
3.
Bandyopadhyay
P. S.
,
1991
, “
Influence of Free Convection on Heat Transfer During Laminar Flow in Tubes With Twisted Tapes
,”
Experimental Thermal and Fluid Science
, Vol.
4
, pp.
577
–
586
.
4.
Coleman, H. W., and Steele, W. G., 1989, Experimental and Uncertainty Analysis for Engineers, Wiley, New York.
5.
Du Plessis, J. P., 1982, “Laminar Flow and Heat Transfer in a Smooth Tube With a Twisted Tape Insert,” Ph.D Thesis, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, University of Stellnbosch, South Africa.
6.
Koch
R.
,
1958
, “
Druckverlust und Warmeubergang bei verwirbelter Stromung
,”
VDI-Forschungsheft 469, Series B
, Vol.
24
, pp.
1
–
44
.
7.
Lopina
R. F.
, and
Bergles
A. E.
,
1969
, “
Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop in Tape Generated Swirl Flow of Single-Phase Water
,”
ASME JOURNAL OF HEAT TRANSFER
, Vol.
91
, pp.
434
–
442
.
8.
Manglik, R. M., and Bergles, A. E., 1987, “A Correlation for Laminar Flow Enhanced Heat Transfer in Uniform Wall Temperature Circular Tubes With Twisted-Tape Inserts,” Advances in Heat Transfer—1987, ASME HTD-Vol. 68, pp. 19–25.
9.
Manglik, R. M., Bergles, A. E., and Joshi, S. D., 1988, “Augmentation of Heat Transfer to Laminar Flow of Non-Newtonian Fluids in Uniformly Heated Tubes With Twisted-Tape Inserts,” Experimental Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics 1988, R. K. Shaha et al., eds., Elsevier Science Publishing, New York, pp. 676–684.
10.
Manglik, R. M., and Bergles, A. E., 1992a, “Heat Transfer Enhancement and Pressure Drop in Viscous Liquid Flows in Isothermal Tubes With Twisted-Tape Inserts,” Wa¨rme- und Stoffu¨bertragung, Vol. 27, No. 3.
11.
Manglik
R. M.
, and
Bergles
A. E.
,
1992
b, “
Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Correlation for Twisted-Tape Inserts in Isothermal Tubes: Part I—Laminar Flows
,”
Enhanced Heat Transfer
, ASME HTD-Vol.
68
, pp.
89
–
98
.
12.
Monheit
M.
,
1987
, “
Experimental Evaluation of the Convection Characteristics of Tubes With Twisted Tape Inserts
,”
Advances in Enhanced Heat Transfer
, ASME HTD Vol.
68
,
11
–
18
.
13.
Royds, R., 1921, Heat Transmission by Radiation Conduction and Convection, 1st ed., Constable and Co., London, UK, pp. 191–201.
This content is only available via PDF.
Copyright © 1996
 by The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
You do not currently have access to this content.