Computational Study on the Effect of the Staggered Ribs on Heat Transfer Phenomena Between the Horizontal Plates

Abstract

In terms of multifarious technical applications, various kinds of passive methods are preferred to the active techniques when it comes to increase the amount of convection heat transfer via less energy consumption. As a vortex generator within the scope of the passive method, rib is usually employed to induce the heat transfer enhancement. In this study, the rectangular cross-sectional ribs have been placed to increase the amount of the heat transfer for the staggered arrangement between the horizontal parallel plates. Numerical simulations have been conducted by using k-? SST turbulence model at Re = 10000. The rib effect has been comparatively investigated in case of thermal and hydraulic performance presented via the numerical results. Time-averaged results for temperature, pressure, streamwise velocity component and streamline patterns have been presented in terms of contour graphics. Furthermore, heat transfer enhancement by using the ribs has been given depending on the increment ratio of Nusselt numbers. Including friction losses due to the ribs mounted on the plates, the values of thermal performance factor for all ducts have been calculated. According to these results for heat transfer augmentation at Re = 10000, h' = 0.1 with S' = 0.5 having ? = 1.049 and h' = 0.1 with S' = 0.75 having ? = 1.019 have been recommended rather than the smooth duct.