A study of the effects of internal rib and channel geometry in rectangular channels. Part I. Pressure drop

Plexiglas models of rectangular channels were fabricated with various rib shapes to determine the effects of rib and channel geometry on the pressure drop. Pressure drops in twenty‐four individual variations of channel geometry were investigated using plexiglas models. From this investigation, an empirical correlation for the pressure drop across the ribbed section of the channel was determined as a function of the linear fluid velocity and the geometric characteristics of the channels. This empirical correlation involves functions of seven geometric parameters of rib pattern and channel geometry. Ribbed section pressure drops for commercial plate heat exchanger channels were predicted using the geometric characteristics of the commercial plates with the empirical correlations developed from the plexiglas channel studies. The total pressure drop for commercial channels was predicted by adding an average entrance and exit pressure drop to the predicted ribbed section pressure drop. The correlations developed in this work allow one to determine the pressure drop in a ribbed rectangular channel from the geometric characteristics of the ribs and the channel in question.