Numerical study of fluid flow and heat transfer in a flat-plate channel with longitudinal vortex generators by applying field synergy principle analysis

• Published in: International communications in heat and mass transfer 2009-02, Vol.36 (2), p.111-120
• Main Authors: Tian, Li-Ting, He, Ya-Ling, Lei, Yong-Gang, Tao, Wen-Quan
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Channels; Computational fluid dynamics; Devices using thermal energy; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Field synergy principle; Fluid flow; Fluids; Heat exchangers (included heat transformers, condensers, cooling towers); Heat transfer; Heat transfer enhancement; Longitudinal vortex generator; Mathematical models; Pressure loss penalty; Vortex generators; Winglets
• ISSN: 0735-1933; 1879-0178
• DOI: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2008.10.018

Three dimensional numerical simulations are performed on laminar heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics of a flat-plate channel with longitudinal vortex generators (LVGs). The effects of two different shaped LVGs, rectangular winglet pair (RWP) and delta winglet pair (DWP) with two different configurations, common-flow-down (CFD) and common-flow-up (CFU), are studied. The numerical results indicate that the application of LVGs effectively enhances heat transfer of the channel. According to the performance evaluation parameter, ( Nu/ Nu 0)/( f/ f 0), the channel with DWP has better overall performance than RWP; the CFD and CFU configurations of DWP have almost the same overall performance; the CFD configuration has a better overall performance than the CFU configuration for RWP. The basic mechanism of heat transfer enhancement by LVGs can be well described by the field synergy principle.