Characterization of heat transfer enhancement and frictional losses in a two-pass square duct featuring unique combinations of rib turbulators and cylindrical dimples

Transient heat transfer experiments using liquid crystal thermography have been carried out on a two-pass square channel for testing several unique combinations of ribs and cylindrical dimples. Four different rib shapes, viz. 45° angled, V, W and M have been studied. In compound channels, the rib pitch accommodates cylindrical dimples arranged in the shape of the rib, hence following the direction of rib induced secondary flows. For each rib shape, three different configurations - rib alone, dimple alone and rib-dimpled compound cases were studied. The rib-height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio was 0.125 and rib-pitch-to-rib-height ratio was 16. The dimple-depth-to-print diameter ratio was 0.3. The experiments were carried out for a wide range of Reynolds number (19,500-69,000), covering a spectrum typically found in both land-based and air-breathing engines. A total of 52 experiments were carried out to measure detailed heat transfer coefficient on the bottom wall of the two-pass channel. A transient liquid crystal thermography technique was used for heat transfer measurement. Static pressure measurements were carried out to measure the overall pressure drop in the two pass channel. From globally averaged Nusselt number and overall pressure drop, thermal-hydraulic performance of the 13 configurations were determined, compared and analyzed. It has been observed that 45° angled and V compound configurations resulted in higher heat transfer augmentation as well as higher thermal hydraulic performance when compared with their corresponding ribs alone and dimples alone configurations.