Heat transfer distribution in rectangular ducts with V-shaped ribs

 Heat transfer distributions are presented for a rectangular duct with two opposite wide walls arranged with V-shaped ribs pointing upstream or downstream relative to the main flow direction. The rectangular duct has an aspect ratio of 1/8. The parallel V-shaped circular ribs are arranged staggered on the two wide walls. The rib height-to-hydraulic diameter ratio is 0.06, with an attack angle of 60°. The pitch-to-height ratio equals 10. The tested Reynolds numbers range from 1000 to 6000. The test surface is sprayed with black paint and then liquid crystal, and a steady state method is adopted to obtain the temperature distribution between adjacent ribs. The secondary flow caused by the angled ribs creates different spanwise variation of the heat transfer coefficient on the rib-roughened wall for different V-rib orientations. Interaction between heat transfer and secondary flow is analyzed. In the streamwise direction, the temperature distribution shows a sawtooth behavior between a pair of adjacent ribs. Local Nusselt numbers are presented between a pair of adjacent ribs, and based on these the average Nusselt numbers are calculated to investigate the augmentation of heat transfer by the presence of the V-shaped ribs. Received on 15 May 2000