Date of Award

2009

Degree Type

Thesis

Department

Mechanical Engineering

First Advisor

Ibrahim, Mounir

Subject Headings

Heat -- Transmission, Turbulence, Ribbed channels, Heat transfer, Frictional loss, Cooling configuration, Turbine blades

Abstract

The thermal performance was examined computationally for the stationary channels with rib turbulators oriented at 90 degrees. Ribs were placed on opposite walls and the heat transfer coefficients and frictional loss were calculated. Three stationary channels with aspect ratios (W/H) 1, 2 and 4 were considered for the analysis. The thermal performance was measured by calculating the Nusselt number and frictional losses. Square ribs (w/e = 1) were considered as the baseline configuration. The rib width and rib spacing varies while the rib height is maintained constant. Rib spacing (P/e) of 10 and 20 and rib width to rib height ratios (w/e) ranging from 1/8 to 14 were considered. The heat transfer performance for all the channels were calculated for Reynolds numbers 10,000, 30,000 and 60,000. The code was validated by comparing the results for channels with square ribs (w/e =1) with the experimental results. The results obtained for all the channels with different rib configuration proved that the increase in rib width reduced the thermal performance of the channels. By combined effect of rib width, rib spacing and flow parameters, the optimal cooling configuration was obtained

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