What is it about?
The present work numerically and experimentally explores the potential of flow intermittency in a laminar serpentine channel for thermal performance improvement. The numerical analysis shows that the dynamic Dean vortex evolution induced by the intermittent mainstream disrupts the thermal boundary layer more effectively than the steady-flow vortices and enhances local Nusselt number at the U-turns by 117% maximally. Such secondary vortices are transported intermittently to the straight segments, resulting in a 55% increase in the area-averaged heat transfer by promoting mainstream-boundary flow mixing.
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Why is it important?
The optimization of the flow intermittency profile is achieved by matching the pulse-on and deceleration stage durations with the characteristic times of secondary vortex growth and transport.
Perspectives
The current study novelly demonstrates the design concept of enhancing heat transfer in curved channels by actively controlling the intermittent flow and proposes the design criteria for the intermittency profile to achieve optimal performance.
Guanqing Xiong
Shanghai Jiao Tong University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Impact of flow intermittency on heat transfer enhancement in serpentine channels, Physics of Fluids, March 2024, American Institute of Physics,
DOI: 10.1063/5.0187513.
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