Prediction of fluid flow and heat transfer in internally finned tubes
Fully developed fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in internally finned tubes were investigated. Both laminar and turbulent flows were considered. Longitudinal fins of trapezoidal profile integrally attached to the tube wall are equally spaced circumferentially in the tube. The assumption of axially constant heat flux per unit length was applied. The tube wall temperature was assumed to be circumferentially uniform at any cross section but varies axially with the change of the bulk temperature. With a fin of finite conductivity, the temperature varies along the fin height. The influence of the ratio of the fin to fluid thermal conductivity ratio, K[sub fin]/K[sub fluid], was investigated for both laminar and turbulent flows. Results for laminar flow case were presented for a fin height to tube radius ratio H/R, ranging from 0.2 to 0.9; the number of fins, NFIN, was varied from 6 to 30; and fin half angles, beta, were varied from 1.5 to 3 degrees. It was found that for any specified geometry the Nusselt number is influenced by a single parameter, K[sub fin]/K[sub fluid]. A mixing length model developed by Ivanovic and Patankar was used to predict the results for turbulent fluid flow. Results were presented for a range of fin height to tube radius, H/R, which was varied from 0.2 to 0.4; NFIN ranged from 6 to 22; beta was selected as 1.5 and 3 degrees; and Reynolds number, Re, varied from 10,000 to 100,000. Predicted results for isothermal fins were shown to be in agreement with other researchers. The results provide extensive information on the influence of the fin to fluid thermal conductivities ratio. It is evident from the results that the assumption of isothermal fins is an inaccurate one, especially at high Reynolds number and either high H/R or low K[sub fin]/K[sub fluid] ratio.
- Research Organization:
- Vanderbilt Univ., Nashville, TN (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 7107023
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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