Numerical Simulation of Laminar Heat Transfer in Aluminium Circular Tube With Internal Longitudinal Fins

Abstract

This paper presents a numerical simulation of laminar heat transfer in circular tube flows with internal longitudinal fins using finite difference numerical code. Three types of fin models with three different half included angle are considered. Two types of fluids (coolants), namely, water and engine oil, have been considered. Aluminium is considered as tube/fin materials. The variation of thermal conductivity of the tube materials, fluids and viscosity of the fluids with the temperature are taken into account in the solution procedure. The outer surface of the tube is exposed to constant heat flux. Steady, laminar flow and heat transfer is assumed. Reynolds numbers equal to 1,500 are used in this study. The flow is assumed to be fully developed locally, but thermally undeveloped. The governing equations are discretized using finite difference scheme. The momentum equation for the fluid and the energy equations for the fluid and the tube wall are solved simultaneously and iteratively.

Key Words:

• Laminar heat transfer
• finned tube
• constant heat flux
• momentum and energy equation

Additional information

Notes on contributors

R. Palanichamy

R. Palanichamy He has completed B.Tech. (Automobile Engineering) at M.I.T., Anna University, Chennai, and M.Tech. (Thermal Engineering) at I.I.T. Madras. At present he is working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi, which is one of the leading engineering college in South India and pursuing his Ph.D. in Anna University. He has 19 years of experience in teaching, guided for about 15 U.G. Projects and five P.G. Level Projects and presented three papers in the international conferences, one in national conference. His areas of interest are heat transfer, CFD and turbo machines.

P. Nagaraj

P. Nagaraj He has completed B.E. (Mechanical Engineering) at Alagappa College of Engineering and Technology (affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai), M.E. (Industrial Engineering at Thiagarajar College of Engineering (autonomous college affiliated to Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai) and Ph.D. at Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore. At present he is heading the Department of Mechanical Engineering, Mepco Schlenk Engineering College, Sivakasi. He has 22 years of teaching experience and published seven papers in the international journal, six in national journal and completed two sponsored research project. He is guiding for two Ph.D. scholars at present. His areas of interest are operation research, fuzzy logic and inventory control.