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ISSN Online: 2377-424X

International Heat Transfer Conference 12
August, 18-23, 2002, Grenoble, France

Enhancement of heat transfer using longitudinal vortices

Get access (open in a dialog) DOI: 10.1615/IHTC12.3290
15 pages

Abstract

This paper stems from the contemporary computational work related to improvement of the heat exchanger surfaces using longitudinal vortices. An attempt has been made to provide the specific comparisons with the experimental data wherever available. Primarily, the improvements related to fin-tube cross-flow heat exchangers and the plate-fin heat exchangers have been addressed. Usually, protrusions can enhance the rate of heat transfer from the heat-exchanger-surfaces, which are otherwise flat. The commonly used protruded surfaces are known as offset strip fins, louvered fins and chevrons. A novel concept has recently been proposed which uses longitudinal vortices generated by various slender wing or winglet type obstacles. As a consequence, the flow fields are dominated by swirling motion and the increase in pressure-penalty is quite modest. Heat transfer is augmented substantially for all the proposed variations of the longitudinal vortex generators. Flow and heat transfer in the heat exchanger passages with built-in vortex generators have been investigated in detail using computational and experimental techniques. The body of the paper covers the state-of-the-art review of the computational work together with the specific contributions of the author.