Open AccessNumerical Modelling of Laminar Forced Convection in a Variable Cross-Section Circular Pipe
Author(s) -
Sahib Shihab Ahmed,
Mensour S. Almadhhachi,
Nabeel A. Ghyadh
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
iop conference series. materials science and engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 1757-899X
pISSN - 1757-8981
DOI - 10.1088/1757-899x/1094/1/012073
Subject(s) - prandtl number , pressure drop , mechanics , reynolds number , forced convection , laminar flow , thermodynamics , heat transfer coefficient , heat transfer , materials science , convective heat transfer , heat flux , physics , turbulence
A study of three dimensional laminar forced convection with conjugated heat transfer for water flowing inside a circular pipe with variable cross-section area has been numerically conducted. The thermal performance and pressure drop under constant heat flux are also estimated. In this paper, using FLUENT ANSYS, the finite volume method (FVM) is used to evaluate the continuity, momentum, and energy governing equations. For a range of Reynolds numbers less than 2000, heat transfer rates were computed, and Prandtl number equal to 3.7. The effects of Reynolds number and divergent angles (ratio) on the convection coefficient of heat transfer (h) drop in pressure (ΔP), and the thermal-hydraulic performance (η) are analyzed and discussed. The results showed that the use of the divergent ratio increases the thermal-hydraulic performance. Compared to the uniform pipe, it is increased by 23% with a maximum pressure drop decrease by about 240% for ratio=1.8. With the empirical Shah equation, the current model is validated, and the results showed excellent agreement.