Open Access

ARTICLE

Hydrodynamics and Heat Transfer in Two and Three-dimensional Minichannels

D. Cherrared¹, E. G. Filali¹

1 Faculty of Mechanical and Process Engineering, Houari Boumedienne University B.P. 32 El Alia, Algiers, Algeria

Fluid Dynamics & Materials Processing 2013, 9(2), 127-151. https://doi.org/10.3970/fdmp.2013.009.127

Abstract

Our study deals with the characterization of the flow and related heat transfer in a smooth, circular minichannel. A duct with a sudden (sharp-edged) contraction is also considered. Prediction of the pressure loss coefficient in this case is obtained via the commercial code CFX 5.7.1. This code is based on the finite volume method for the solution of the Navier-Stokes and offers several turbulences models (in this study we use the shear stress turbulence model - SST). The numerical results are compared with experimental results obtained for a configuration similar to those considered in the numerical study. The numerical algorithm is also validated by comparison with [Reynaud, Debray, Franc, and Maitre (2005); Guo, Wang, Yu, Fang, Chongfang, and Zhuo (2010)]. A good agreement is obtained with the exception of the transition zone between laminar and turbulent regime. In the case of duct sudden contraction, the numerical results show that the abrupt contraction coefficient Kc decreases with the Reynolds number, and it is much higher than that of conventional tubes in laminar flow when the diameter D is less than 1mm.

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Keywords

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