Numerical investigation of laminar heat transfer in a square channel with 45° inclined baffles

A numerical investigation of laminar periodic flow and heat transfer in a three-dimensional isothermal-wall square channel fitted with 45° inclined baffles on one channel wall is carried out in the present work. The finite volume method is introduced and the SIMPLE algorithm has been implemented for all computations. The fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics are presented for Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 1200. The 45° baffle mounted only on the lower channel wall has a height of b and an axial pitch length (L) equal to channel height (H). Effects of flow blockage ratios, BR = b/H = 0.1-0.5, on heat transfer and pressure loss in the square channel are examined and also compared with the typical case of the transverse baffle (or 90° baffle). It is found that apart from the rise of Reynolds number, the increase in the blockage ratio with the attack angle (α) of 45° results in considerable increases in the Nusselt number and friction factor values. The use of the 45° baffle can help to generate a streamwise main vortex flow throughout the channel leading to fast and chaotic mixing of flow between the core and the wall regions. In addition, the computational results reveal that the significant increase in heat transfer rate is due to impingement jets induced by a longitudinal vortex pair (P-vortex) of flow, appearing on the upper, lower and baffle trailing end side walls. The appearance of vortex-induced impingement flows created by the baffles leads to the maximum thermal enhancement factor of about 2.2 at BR = 0.4 and Re = 1200. The enhancement factor of the 45° baffle investigated is found to be higher than that of the 90° baffle for all Reynolds numbers and baffle heights.