Experimental Study of Turbulent

Flow Heat Transfer and Pressure

A. Muley1
Assoc. Mem. ASME
2 Experimental heat transfer and isothermal pressure drop data for single-phase water
R. M. Manglik
Mem. ASME
Department of Mechanical, Industrial
and Nuclear Engineering,
University of Cincinnati,
Cincinnati, OH 45221-0072
Drop in a Plate Heat Exchanger
With Chevron Plates
flows in a plate heat exchanger (PHE) with chevron plates are presented. In a
single-pass U-type counterflow PHE, three different chevron plate arrangements are
considered: two symmetric plate arrangements with j3 = 30 deg/30 deg and 60 deg/
60 deg, and one mixed-plate arrangement with ft = 30 deg/60 deg. For water (2 <
Pr < 6) flow rates in the 600 < Re < 104 regime, data for Nu and f are presented.
The results show significant effects of both the chevron angle /3 and surface area
enlargement factor </>. As /3 increases, and compared to a flat-plate pack, up to two
to five times higher Nu are obtained; the concomitant f, however, are 13 to 44 times
higher. Increasing <f> also has a similar, though smaller effect. Based on experimental
data for Re a 7000 and 30 deg < f3 =s 60 deg, predictive correlations of the form
Nu = C,(/3)Dj(<t>) Re"m) Prln'(pj>JaM andf= C2(/3)D2(<j>) Re"2'8' are devised.
Finally, at constant pumping power, and depending upon Re, (3, and 4>, the heat
transfer is found to be enhanced by up to 2.8 times that in an equivalent flat-plate
channel.

Introduction survey by Manglik (1996) provides a detailed summary of the

The plate heat exchanger (PHE) is commonly used for pro-
cess heating and cooling applications in chemical, food pro-
cessing, and pharmaceutical industries, among many others. It
has found increasing usage in situations where close thermal
quality control and mitigation of thermal degradation of end
products are primary objectives. The reviews by Shah and Focke
(1988), Manglik and Muley (1993), and Manglik (1996) have
addressed some aspects of the thermal-hydraulic performance,
product development, and design applications of PHEs.
Of the many different types of plate corrugations available
(Shah and Focke, 1988), the more commonly used chevron
plate pattern is illustrated in Fig. 1. Plates with (3 = 30 deg or
60 deg are usually stacked together in either a symmetric or
mixed arrangement as shown in Fig. 1(a). The plate surface
geometry is characterized by the corrugation inclination angle
(3, its wavelength \ , amplitude b, and profile (Fig. 1(b)), and
the surface enlargement factor </> (ratio of effective corrugated
surface area to the projected area of the plate). The enhanced
heat transfer is directly related to these features, which provide
increased effective heat transfer area, disruption and reattach-
ment of boundary layers, swirl or vortex flow generation, and
small hydraulic diameter flow channels. Generally both heat
transfer coefficients and flow friction losses increase with higher
0 and <j> chevron plates (Manglik, 1996).
Several investigators have reported thermal-hydraulic charac-
teristics of chevron plate PHEs (Okada et al., 1972; Marriott,
1977; Focke et al., 1985; Talik et al., 1995a, b; Muley and
Manglik, 1995, 1997, 1998; Thonon et al„ 1995). The recent
1
Current address: Allied Signal, Inc., Aerospace Equipment Systems, Torrance,
CA.
2
Author to whom all correspondence should be addressed, e-mail:
Raj .Manglik @ uc.edu
Contributed by the Heat Transfer Division for publication in the JOURNAL OP
HEAT TRANSFER and presented at the '97 ASME NHTC, Baltimore. Manuscript
received by the Heat Transfer Division Sept. 12, 1997; revision received Oct. 7,
1998. Keywords: Augmentation, Enhancement, Forced Convection, Heat Trans-
fer, Heat Exchangers. Associate Technical Editor: J. C. Han.
available Nu and /correlations for chevron plates. The predic-
tions from most of these equations are observed to disagree
considerably with each other and present a rather wide perfor-
mance envelope (Manglik, 1996). In virtually all studies, sepa-
rate power-law type curve-fit equations are given for each plate
surface with different (3 that cover a rather limited data set
and range of flow conditions. Savostin and Tikhonov (1970),
Tovazhnyanski et al. (1980) and Wanniarachchi et al. (1995)
have attempted to incorporate j3 effects into single equations for
Nu and/, respectively. However, their equations have different
functional forms, with little agreement between their predictions
for typical flow conditions and (3 (Manglik, 1996). The effect
of surface enlargement factor <j> has been largely ignored. This
lack of generalized predictive tools inhibits effective usage of
chevron plates in many PHE applications.
An experimental investigation of the effects of chevron angle
13 on the thermal-hydraulic performance of a PHE is reported in
this paper. Single-phase turbulent flow3 of water under cooling
conditions is considered. Two symmetric and one mixed chev-
ron plate arrangements, with 0 = 30 deg/30 deg, 60 deg/60
deg, and 30 deg/60 deg, respectively, are used. Based on the
experimental data and some previously reported results, correla-
tions for Nu and isothermal / are developed that incorporate
the influence of 0 and <£ along with the Re, Pr, and (p/p,w)
dependence. Finally, the heat transfer enhancement in these
plate arrangements is evaluated.
Experimental Apparatus and Procedure
The experimental apparatus, shown schematically in Fig. 2,
consists of two PHEs (a heat source and a heat sink) arranged
in series in a closed loop. A variable speed moyno pump circu-
lates the process water stream, which was first heated in one
3
In much of the literature, it has been established that chevron corrugations
promote early transition to turbulent flow (400 < Re < 800), and this issue has
been discussed at some length elsewhere (Shah and Focke, 1988; Manglik, 1996;
Muley and Manglik, 1997, 1998).

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low/) high/3
(a) (b)
Fig. 1 Chevron plates: (a) different chevron angle plates and their stack
arrangements, and (to) geometrical features of plate corrugations
PHE by condensing low-pressure steam and then cooled in the
second PHE by means of utility water supply. A micromotion
flow meter, differential pressure transducers, and copper-con-
stantan thermocouples, at locations indicated in Fig. 2, provided
the primary measurements. The data reported here are for the
cooling unit, where a rotameter was used to measure cooling
water flow rates. The PHEs and significant portions of the inlet/
outlet piping were well insulated to reduce heat losses. Also,
static mixers were installed in the outlet ports upstream of the
thermocouple probes to ensure accurate "mixed-mean" or bulk
temperature measurements. The inlet/outlet thermocouple
probes were placed close to the PHE ports in well-insulated
pipe sections, and temperature measurements were periodically
made by traversing them in the pipe cross section to check and
confirm the accuracy of recorded bulk-mean values. All the
data were obtained under steady-state conditions (confirmed by
unchanging fluid outlet temperatures over a 25 ~ 30 minute
period) with close energy balances (less than ± five percent
difference between the measured Q for the two fluid streams),
and were recorded with a computerized data acquisition system.
The test PHE (cooling unit) was configured in a single-pass
U-type (inlet/outlet ports for the two fluid streams on the same
end), counterflow arrangement with 12 to 24 chevron plates.
Chevron plates made of stainless steel with f3 = 30 deg and 60
deg, and 4> = 1.29 were used in two symmetric (30 deg/30
deg and 60 deg/60 deg) and one mixed (30 deg/60 deg) ar-
rangements. Measurements for the geometrical details of the
plate surface corrugation profiles, which can be represented by
a sinusoidal shape, are given in Fig. 3. For all the three plate
arrangements, experimental data for Nu and isothermal / were
obtained for cooling of hot water (2 < Pr < 6) in the turbulent
flow regime (600 < Re < 10 4 ). Extended details of the test
PHE, plate corrugation measurements, set-up, instrumentation,
and operating procedures are given in Muley and Manglik
(1998).
Data Reduction. The primary measurements consist of the
flow rates of each fluid stream (hot process water and cooling
utility water), their inlet and outlet temperatures, and the pres-
sure drop in the process stream between the inlet and outlet of
the heat exchanger. The channel flow Reynolds number is based
on the equivalent diameter de (=2b), and all fluid properties
were calculated at the bulk mean temperature given by
TCJ, = ( 7 ; , + TC,0)I2; ThJ, = (Tc,b + ATlm) (1)
where, for the two-fluid counterflow arrangement,
Arlm = [ ( r w - TC,0) - (T„,0 - Tci)y
In [(7V, ~ TC,0)/(T„,„ - T,,)]. (2)
Because the cooling water flow rates were maintained such that
Cc > Ci, in all the test runs, so as to ensure the process stream
provided the dominant thermal resistance, Tluh calculated by Eq.
(1) accounts for nonlinear temperature variations of the hot
process stream along the length of PHE. The steady-state energy
balance on the process and cooling fluids
Q = [«te„(r ( - r„)]„ = [mc„(T0 - T,)]c (3)
was maintained within ± 5 percent, after accounting for all heat
losses, and the average of Qh and Qc was taken as the total heat
load.
Given the heat load, the overall thermal effectiveness of the
heat exchanger is
e = [e/c m i n (r„, - TCJ)]. (4)
The NTU for the pure counterflow arrangement was calculated
as
NTU = [1/(1 - C*)] In [(1 - eC*)/(l - e)] (5)
where C* = Cmi„/Cmax; for all the test runs in the present
experiments Ch = Cmin, and their values range from 1.0 to 7.5

Nomenclature
Ac --= channel flow cross section area,
m2
A-- = actual or effective heat transfer
surface area, m2
b--= corrugation depth, mm
C- = heat capacity rate, =mcp, W/K
c„-= specific heat, J/kg-K
d„- = equivalent diameter, =2b, mm 2
E--= frictional pumping power, W/m
f --= Fanning friction factor, Eq. (11)
h~-= heat transfer coefficient, W/m 2 -
K h = hot process fluid stream
k--= thermal conductivity, W/m-K
L- = plate length betweerupoFts, m
m -= mass flow-rateTEg/s , i
N--= number of interplate channels
Nu == Nusselt number, =hdjk
NTU == number of transfer units, Eq. (5)
P\,P2 == Reynolds number exponents
A P == pressure drop, N/m 2
Pr == Prandtl number, =\xcplk
Q--= heat load, W
Re == Reynolds number, =mdJNAcjj,
t == plate thickness, mm
Arlm == log mean temperature differ-
ence, Eq. (2), K
T--= temperature, K
U--= overall heat transfer coefficient,
Eq. (6),W/m 2 -K
Greek Symbols
P == corrugation inclination angle
relative to flow direction
7 z= corrugation profile aspect ratio,
=2bl\
£ == thermal effectiveness, Eq. (4)
X. = wavelength of surface corrugation,
Fig. 1(b), mm
fi = dynamic viscosity, kg/m-s
p = fluid density, kg/m 3
4> = ratio of effective to projected
surface area of plate corrugations
Subscripts
b = at bulk fluid temperature
c = cooling water stream
ch = pertaining to chevron plate
i= inlet fluid condition
o = outlet fluid condition
pp = pertaining to flat parallel-plate
channel
w = at plate wall conditions

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 PRESSURE TAP
BYPASS UNE FOR RHEUOOICAL THERMOCOUPLE WELL
MEASUREMENTS
DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE TRANSDUCER
PRESSURE GAUGE

PROCESS PROCESS
LIQUID LIQUID

ELECTRIC
POWER
INPUT

-0
MOYNO PUMP
ROTAMETER

COOLING WATER IN

c&o-
TO
CONOENSATE
MEASUREMENT

Fig. 2 Schematic of experimental test facility

kW/K. Furthermore, even though only 12 to 24 plates were the plate. However, in order to calculate hh from Eq. (7), the
used in these experiments, the influence of small number of cooling water side heat transfer coefficient hc is needed. This
thermal plates on NTU, as suggested by Shah and Focke (1988) was determined from calibration equations that were devised
was insignificant (less than 0.5 percent). This was so because on the basis of extended experiments employing the modified
C*, (e- C*), and (C*-NTU) values were relatively small in Wilson plot technique, as described in the next subsection. The
all data sets; the plate effects are significant only when the average wall temperature of the plate was determined iteratively
converse is true (Manglik, 1999). The overall heat transfer from the heat and resistance balance
coefficient was thus determined from
g = hhA(T„ - Tw)„ (kwA/t)(Tw,h - Tw,c)
t/=(C m i n NTU)/A (6)
= hcA{Tw - Tb)c. (8)
and the heat transfer coefficient for the process fluid stream
calculated from the thermal resistance summation From the measured overall pressure drop across the PHE in
the process stream, the core pressure drop can be obtained from
(IMA*) = {IIUA) - (t/Akms) - (1/Ahc). (7)
Note that the heat transfer area A is the same on both sides of A/?c, Apn, A/7port - Appi (9)
Here, based on an empirical equation (Shah and Focke, 1988;
Kays and London, 1984; Kays, 1950) and the mean port veloc-
3.0 1 ' ' 1 i i ' i i ity, port losses were estimated by
Chevron plates (304 SS) t/e - 5.08 mm
A p= 30° L = 0.392 m Appon= \.5(pV2poJ2). (10)
O /?= 60° AAi^ A 1 = 0.6 mm
2.5 ^ ^ w = 0.163 m The pressure loss in small pipe sections at the inlet and outlet
^ <i=1.29 of the PHE (Appipl!) was estimated on the basis of smooth tube
/A
°\ y= 0.556 friction factor and pipe flow velocity. Thus, for the shear loss
/A
M, 2.0 OA within the corrugated passages, the Fanning friction factor was
calculated as
°\
h. ©A /= pdeApcoJ[2L(m/NAc)2 (11)
•a 1.5 U oA
These measurements were made for isothermal conditions, with
r oA fluid properties calculated at the mean flow temperature.
r oA
1.0 oA Modified Wilson Plot. In order to determine the process
oA. fluid heat transfer coefficient from Eq. (7), the cooling water
oA resistance (l/hcA) needs to be known. For predicting hc, cali-
0.5
' i i ft = 1.27[l+sin{^(l-2.25V4.5}]
oA,
oA.
oA
bration equations were established for each of the three chevron
plate arrangements from data obtained by the modified Wilson
plot technique (Shah, 1990; Manglik and Bergles, 1991). This
modification of the classical Wilson plot method (Wilson,
,A^° 1 1 1 , 1 , 1 I . I . I °JV,
0.0
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 1915) essentially incorporates and accounts for variable fluid
Corrugation wavelength, X [mm] property effects. Very briefly, on the basis of a power-law type
relationship between Nu and Re, Pr, and (fjjfiy,), the resistance
Fig. 3 Geometrical characteristics of plate surface corrugations balance of Eq. (7) can be expressed as

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 30 —i—i—i—i—i—i—i—i—r
O Experimental Data (/? = 30°)
Regression Fit, r2 = 0.9987
I
s
p.
Nu c = 0.135Re c °- 7 Pr" 3 (^/^„
Re c >1000
0 1 2 3
07
[Reoj p r l/3 (^^fi^Ak/d,)],, I [Re ' Pr" (p/fiy,)™' (Aklde)\c
Fig. 4 Typical modified Wilson plot results for the calibration of cooling
water side heat transfer coefficient for p = 30-deg chevron plate
-Re"Pr"3(-^
de \ fj,w
k
Re«Pr1/3(^- Re'Pr1"
C[ de
By acquiring data over an extended range of both cooling
water and test fluid flow rates, as per the methodology described
in detail by Shah (1990), and Manglik and Bergles (1991),
an iterative multiple linear-regression analysis yields the lead
coefficients (C/,, C') and Reynolds exponent (a). Typical re-
sults for P = 30 deg/30 deg plates are presented in Fig. 4.
Similar results for the other two chevron plate arrangements (/3
= 60 deg/60 deg and 30 deg/60 deg) can be found in Muley
and Manglik (1995, 1998). It may be noted, however, that the
cooling water side Nu equation devised in this manner is only
a "calibration" equation for the present test facility, valid only
over the limited range of Wilson plot data, and should not be
considered as a general correlation. In all subsequent experi-
ments, the cooling water side conditions were always main-
tained within the range of Wilson plot data.
Experimental Uncertainty. For the measurements and de-
rived results presented in this paper, the experimental uncertain-
ties were calculated according to the procedure outlined by
Moffat (1988). The maximum errors in the primary measure-
ments of m, Ap, Ar l m , and Q were ±4.1 percent, ±6.0 percent,
±4.2 percent, and ±7.8 percent, respectively, after accounting
for errors in both the process and colling water flow streams.
Based on this precision and the propagation of error analysis,
the maximum uncertainties in Re,/, and Nu were ±4.2 percent,
±7.2 percent, and ±10.4 percent, respectively. Also, as men-
tioned earlier, for majority of the heat transfer data the energy
balance was within ±5.0 percent. Extended details of the error
and uncertainty analyses are given in Muley and Manglik
(1998).
Results and Discussion
For cooling of hot water (2 < Pr < 6) flows in the 600 <
Re < 104 range, the experimental Nu data are presented in Fig.
Journal of Heat Transfer
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5. They represent two symmetric (/? = 30 deg/30 deg and
60 deg/60 deg) and one mixed (/3 = 30 deg/60 deg) plate
arrangements, where the mixed-plate chevron angle can be ap-
proximated by /3avg = 45 deg. Also graphed in Fig. 5, are partial
predictions for an equivalent flat-plate channel (Kakac et al.,
1987) given by
Slope = 1/C'C
f 1.849(L/rf e )- 1/3 R e " 3 P r " 3 ^ , , , ) 0 1 4
C =0.135
Nu
Re < 2000, (L/de) = 52.17
(13)
0.023 Re 0 8 Pr1'3(fi/fj,w)0M
Re > 4000.
The heat transfer enhancement, with two to five times higher
Nu than the flat-plate channel, is clearly evident. Higher Nusselt
numbers are obtained with increasing (5, which reflects the in-
creased intensity of swirl flows generated by the larger 0 chev-
ron plates. In Fig. 5, the data are also compared with the results
of Okada et al. (1972), Focke et al. (1985), and Thonon et al.
(1995). The present data are seen to be in good agreement with
3
the results of Okada et al. for all three /3 arrangements. However,
the results of Focke et al., that are based on mass transfer
experiments with simulated scaled-up plate surfaces, are more
than two times higher for all cases. The Thonon et al. data, on
the other hand, are in fair agreement for /3 = 30 deg, but those
for (3 = 45-deg and 60-deg plates are considerably higher.
These disagreements can perhaps be attributed to, among
some other factors, the geometric differences in the chevron
C'„ plate surface corrugations employed in various studies (Man-
glik, 1996). These include different shapes of corrugation pro-
files (Ding and Manglik, 1996), depth b and wavelength X. of
the furrows (Okada et al., 1972; Gaiser and Kottke, 1990; Ding
\fJ-y,
and Manglik, 1996), plate surface enlargement factor 4> (ratio
of effective corrugated surface area to its projected area), and
(12) flow distribution channel configurations. For example, <fi =
1.464 in the scaled up surfaces employed by Focke et al. (1985)
in their mass transfer studies, as compared with 4> = 1-29 in
the present case. The deeper furrows in the former would tend
to induce greater swirl mixing, and hence have higher Nu.
Whereas Okada et al. (1972) have employed plates with <f> =
1.294, and, as such, there is good agreement between their
results and present data. The plate surface geometry features
have not been reported by Thonon et al. (1995); in fact, few
1 1—i i i i i 1 1 — - — i 1 — i -
Experimental Data (p = 1/3, (*= 1.29, y= 0.556)
A p= 30730°
O ^=30760° (45° avg.)
O jS= 60760°
Okada etal. (1972), (,u/,uw) = 1, p = 0.4
Focke etal. (1985), (jul^) = 1, p = 0.5
102 Thonon etal. (1995), (/i/// w )=l
^
I
( i I
102 103 10"
Re
Fig. 5 Variation of Nusselt number with Reynolds number and chevron
angle p
FEBRUARY 1999, Vol. 121 / 113
 i i i I 1 1 1—i—i—n—r Manglik and Muley, 1993). In any event, as shown in Muley
Experimental data (fJ = 1.29, y= 0.556) and Manglik (1997, 1998) Re > 1000 essentially characterizes
A p= 30730° turbulent flow. Regression analyses of the present data with Re
O p= 30760° (45° avg.) > 1000 reveal that their trends can be represented by the follow-
O p= 60760° ing functional form:
Fockeetal. (1985)
Thononetal. (1995)
Nu = C,(/3) Re'" </J) Pr"\fi/fiw)0M,

f = C 2 (/3)Re" 2 «". (15)

In the power-law expression for Nu, the Pr exponent was taken
as one-third and the classical Sieder and Tate (1936) viscosity
ratio correction factor was used, which is consistent with much
of the literature (Manglik 1996; Manglik and Bergles, 1998).
Whether the complex interplate channel geometry would dictate
different exponents remains to be ascertained; in any event,
this would be a second-order refinement. Also, both the lead
coefficients [Ci(/3) and C 2 (/3)] and Re exponents [pl(/3) and
p2(/3)] are functions of /3. These are found to be described
Flat-plate channel by second-order polynomials and trigonometric functions of /?,
/ = 24/Re respectively (Muley and Manglik, 1998). As seen in Fig. 7
, I , I i i i 1 from a comparison with some other results cited in the literature
10 J 10 3 10" (Tovazhnyanski et al., 1980; Focke et al., 1985; Heavner et al,
Re 1993; Thonon et al., 1995), and given the earlier discussion on
the differences in the results, these expressions describe the Re
Fig. 6 Variation of isothermal friction factor with Reynolds number and exponents in most cases rather well. Here the Re exponents for
chevron angle p
the two limiting cases of interplate channels (/3 = 0 deg and
90 deg) were taken as 0.7 and 0.25 for Nu and/, respectively;
such values have been used in the literature for turbulent flows
studies provide these details which makes a meaningful compar- in several other noncircular channels (Kakac et al., 1987). Thus,
ison of results rather difficult (Manglik, 1996). Additionally, the experimental data for Re > 1000, 30 deg == /3 < 60 deg,
varying Pr exponent (0.5 and 0.4 in the case of Focke et al. and 4> = 1.29 can be correlated as
and Okada et al., respectively), and absence of a correction
factor for viscosity variations could account for some part of Nu = [0.2668 - 0.006967/3 + 7.244 X 10~5/?2]
the deviations. In the latter case, as shown by Muley and Man-
glik (1995, 1997) for typical viscous liquids (Pr ~ 185), a y J^ e [0.728 + 0.0543sin[(i-/?/45)+3.71 p r l / 3 / ^ s0.14 /jg\

variation of 0.20 < ((J.//JIW) < 0.80 could result in a 3 percent

to 20 percent difference in Nu. and
The isothermal fanning friction factor data for the three plate
arrangements are presented in Fig. 6. Here, the equivalent flat- / = [2.917 - 0.1277/3 + 2.016 X 10~3/?2]
plate / a r e predicted from (Kakac et al., 1987) X Re~[°'2+a0377sill[(,r'3/45)+2-1] (17)
f 24/Re Re =s 2000
(14) Comparisons of the predictions from Eqs. (16) and (17) with
0.1268 Re" 0 3 Re > 2000.

l i — i — i — i — i — i — i — i — r
While the chevron plate surface corrugations promote higher O Present Experiment
heat transfer coefficients (Fig. 5), there is a higher pressure V Tovazhnyanski etal. (1980)
D Fockeetal. (1985)
drop penalty as well (Fig. 6 ) . The friction factors are 13 to 44 ! A Heavner etal. (1993)
times higher than those for the flat-plate channel. As would be O Thononetal. (1995)
expected, the swirling fluid motion in the interplate channel 0.8 - ,.---'

results in greater flow friction, which increases with /5. The

comparison of the experimental / data with results of Thonon
et al. (1995) and Focke et al. (1985) in Fig. 6, reveals much
larger differences than those observed for the heat transfer.
Though there is reasonable agreement between the Thonon et pi08) = 0.728 + 0.0543 sin {(xft/45) + 3.7)
al. and Focke et al. results for /3 = 45 deg/45 deg with the
experimental data (/3 = 30 deg/60 deg, /3avg = 45 deg), their
/ for /3 = 30 deg and 60 deg are significantly different. Typi- * 0.4 -
cally, the Thonon et al. results for /3 = 30 deg are as much as
2.9 times lower, and two times higher for /? = 60 deg; a similar
trend is displayed by the Focke et al. results. Given that neither
Focke et al. nor Thonon et al. have compared their own results 0.2 -
with anything else in the literature, and few details of surface
geometry and experimental data reduction are reported, it is
difficult to explain these differences.
1 , 1 , 1 , 1 J 1 l_
It is evident from the foregoing that, apart from flow and 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
fluid property parameters, Nu and / a r e significantly influenced
by p. The chevron corrugations also trigger early transition to P
turbulent flow, and various investigators have documented criti- Fig. 7 Correlation of the effect of fi on the Re exponent in the power-
cal Re values ranging from 400 to 800 (Shah and Focke, 1988; law representation of Nu and f data

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 10 3 1 1 | ! i i i ,ty ' • 1 ' 1 ' r • ' 1 1
- Experimental Data (j4= 1.29, y= 0.556) ' • Present study, n = 0.14, p = 0.33 i
.?>. - + Tovazhnyanski etal. (1980), n = 0.25, p = 0.33 \p = 30°, 45°, 60° -
- A P= 30°/30° /£$/' - : o Focke etal. (1985), n = 0, p =0.5
Okadaetal.(l972) 1
'

&$&?'' - o
_ o /3= 30760° (45°)
a o /?= 60760°
- Predictions,Eq. (16)
JM
£s&s'
/ 2 "- v
. *
A Okada etal. (1972)
Okada etal. (1972) '
\P- 60°, n = 0, p - 0.4

Heavner et al. (1993), n = 0.17, p = 0.5,/?= 34", 45°, 67.5°

;

+ - - ; +15% ..•••-' A _
o\
\e
o . Flat-plate channel „, „ - - ' ^^^^^^ _----"'_
o
0 : V :
- -
1
"3.
7
/ .±^<^'''' ^

10% ,«4 f'''°

fW
/
: Nu( / U ///„)"°/rc,(/5)Re l " | / ' ) Pr l 'l = [20.78-50.94(ii + 41.16«(2-10.51fS3]
1 , 1 , 1 . 1 , -
:

=e 10- 1
-}
1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
- rX-'' -> 0% -
1 p/> i i
Fig. 10(a)
i i • • i - i i

: • Present study ,
, 1 , , - + Tovazhnyanski et al. (1980 1/3 = 30°, 45°, 60°
i i i i
- o Focke etal. (1985) > o :
102 10-* - * Heavner et al. (1993), p= 34°, 45°, 67.5°
Re [0.728 + 0.0543 sin{(ff/?/45) + 3.7(]
2 -
Fig. 8 Comparison of predictions and experimental data for the effect o. " /Ac 2 (/?)Re p 2 | / , ) j = [5.474-19.02^ + 18.93<*2 -53410 3 ] +15% :
of chevron angle p on Nu in turbulent flows (Re a 1000)
S
u "'-'15% ;
the Nu and /data, respectively, are presented in Figs. 8 and 9,
and the excellent agreement between the two (within ±10 per-
s; i ; Flat- plate channel . - ^'^--'-"~ - ' ' ' O
cent and ±5 percent error bands, respectively) is clearly evident.
Besides the corrugation inclination angle /3, the area enlarge- O ;
ment factor 0 also has an influence, and higher heat transfer ''••L
and pressure drop are obtained with increasing 0; deeper corru- • . *

gations increase the effective surface area as well as promote
greater swirl mixing. To extend the applicability of Eqs. (16)
and (17), which are limited to 0 = 1.29, the present results
are correlated with those given in the literature for different 0
values. This is depicted in Fig. 10, where the normalized Nu
and / d a t a for the three chevron plate arrangements are graphed
along with the results of Okada et al. (1972), Tovazhnyanski
et al. (1980), Focke et al. (1985), and Heavner et al. (1993).
As seen from this figure, the effects of 0 can be represented
0.2
R e -[0.2 + 0.0577sin{(7r/?/45) + 2.11]
Fig. 9 Comparison of predictions and experimental data for the effect
of chevron angle ji on isothermal f in turbulent flows (Re 2= 1000)
1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5
Fig. 10(b)
Fig. 10 Correlation of the effect of surface enlargement factor <f> in
turbulent flows (Re a 1000): (a) Nusselt number and (b) isothermal
friction factor
by cubic polynomials in the range 1 < 0 =s 1.5, with 0 = 1
for a flat-plate channel. Consequently, Nu and isothermal / c a n
be predicted by the following correlations, which include the
effects of /3 and 0:
Nu = [0.2668 - 0.006967/5 + 7.244 X l O ^ 2 ]
X [20.78 - 50.940 + 41.160 2 - 1O.5103]
X R e [°- 7 2 8 + 0 - 0 5 4 3 s i n KT/5/45 ) + 3.7 I P r " 3 ( u / W )014 (18)
and
/ = [2.917 - 0.1277/3 + 2.016 X 1 0 ^ 2 ]
X [5.474 - 19.020 + 18.930 2 - 5.3410 3 ]
X P e - | O . 2 + 0.0577sin|(7r/)/45)+2.11
(19)
3
Equations (18) and (19) are generally valid for Re > 10 , 30
deg < P < 60 deg, and 1 < 0 s 1.5,4 with sinusoidal shape
chevron corrugations, and the predictions represent much of the
available data reasonably well. Additional data, however, would
be desirable to further establish their validity.
To quantify the heat transfer enhancement in heat exchangers
for different applications, several figures of merit have been
0.3 0.4 proposed in the literature (Webb, 1994; Bergles, 1985; Kays
4
While manufacturing plates with 0 «* 1.5 may be very difficult because of
tooling and fixtures limitations, this limit reflects the values of (ft = 1.412 and
1.464, respectively, for the Okada et al. (1972) and Focke et al. (1985) data.

Journal of Heat Transfer FEBRUARY 1999, Vol. 121 / 115

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 3.0 ment 4>. Based on the parametric trends displayed by the experi-
mental data, and some results reported in the literature, new
3= 60760°
design correlations for Nu and isothermal/, given by Eqs. (18)
2.5 and (19), respectively, have been developed. These are valid
30760° for Re > 10 3 , 30 deg < P < 60 deg, and 1 < qb s 1.5, and
additional data that cover a wider range of these variables would
usefully extend their applicability. Furthermore, with the con-
straint of fixed plate surface geometry and constant pumping
3 power, the heat transfer is enhanced up to 2.8 times that in a
1.5 flat-plate channel. This enhancement is primarily due to larger
effective surface area and swirl flows generated in the troughs
of the sinusoidal profile chevron plate corrugations.
1.0 -

Acknowledgments
0.5 Support for this study was given by the Procter & Gamble
10J 10" Co., and the National Science Foundation (Grant #CTS-
Re,ch 9502128).
Fig. 11 Effect of chevron angle ji and surface enlargement </> on heat
transfer enhancement in a PHE for fixed surface geometry and constant References
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