Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Convective Heat Transfer in a Circular Tube with Internal square ribs

Abstract

This work presents an experimental and numerical investigation of heat transfer characteristics of horizontal circular pipe500mm long using internal square ribs of 80mm width ,80mm height, n=7 in upper surface and 80mmwidth ,80mm height ,n=6 in lower surface of pipe, p =100mm, with air as the working fluid. Reynolds number 31170 was taken. The steel pipe(ASM4120) was subjected to different constant surface temperatures. The experimental data obtained were compared with plain (with out ribs)case.. Based on the same coolant flow, the pipe with internal square ribs was found to possess the highest performance factors for turbulent flow. The results show a good agreement between theoretical and experimental by factor 4.4%. The heat transfer rates obtained from pipe upper surface and lower surface is 213% over the smooth channel. for a given Reynolds number. The use of internal square ribs improved the heat transfer in circular pipe. All studies where carried out using workbench programFlUENT14.5 by using K-ɛ model.