Research of Triangular Baffle Placement Effect on the Heat Transfer and Flow Features in Cross-Circular Grooved Triangular Channels

Abstract

In this study, heat transfer performance and fluid flow properties for cross-circular grooved triangular ducts having different location angles and heights of the triangular baffles are studied numerically. The ANSYS Fluent program is applied to solve the equations of energy and the Navier-Stokes equations by employing the <i>k</i>-ε turbulence model in computational calculations. While the inlet temperature of the working fluid (air) is 293 K, the surface temperature of the lower circular grooved channels is taken constant at 373 K. Triangular baffles have different angles of 30°, 60°, and 90° and heights of 0.25H, 0.5H, and 0.75H. The range of the Reynolds number (Re) employed in this study is 1000-6000. Numerical results agreed with a 3.53% deviation according to empirical work that existed in the literature. The attained outcomes are presented as mean Nusselt number (Nu<sub>m</sub>), fluid temperature, turbulence kinetic energy, pressure, and performance evaluation criterion (PEC) variations for each triangular baffle angle and height. Contour distributions of the temperature, velocity, turbulence kinetic energy, and velocity vector are also evaluated for distinct Re numbers and triangular baffle arrangements. For Re = 3000, the Nu<sub>m</sub> number in the channel with a 90° baffle angle and 0.75H baffle height is 136.73% higher than that in the channel with 0.25H baffle height. In the channel with 0.25H baffle height, the PEC value is 91.91% higher in the 30° baffle angle condition than in the 90° one.