Enhanced Heat Transfer in a Vertical Heated Channel by Incorporation of Inclined Plates

Document Type : Full Length Research Article

Authors

Faculty of Technology, Laboratory of Mechanics, Physics and Mathematical Modeling (LMP2M), University of Medea, 26000, Medea, Algeria

Abstract

This study aims to investigate fluid flow and heat transfer behaviors under laminar mixed convective conditions in a vertical heated channel with plates attached to the heated wall in order to enhance the cooling channel. Simulations were conducted using the finite volume method through the OpenFoam © open-source code. The analysis focused on three key physical parameters: Reynolds number varying from 200 to 1400, Grashof number set at 105 and 2×105, and three plate tilt angles (γ = 30°, 60°, and 90°), with a fixed plate height of hp = 0.3 and a constant plate spacing of D = 1. The objective was to assess their effects on thermal and flow behaviors in both steady-state and self-sustained oscillatory flow. The results were presented as dimensionless isotherm contours and streamlines, accompanied by the Nusselt number and friction factor ratios. Findings indicate that both the friction factor and Nusselt number ratios increase as Reynolds number and plate tilt angles increase, while they decrease as the Grashof number increases. The flow translates to a self-sustained oscillatory state at moderate Reynolds numbers (below 1000 for γ = 60° and 90°, below 1200 for γ = 30°). Moreover, as the flow bifurcates to an unsteady state, the Nusselt number significantly increases and can reach up to 18%, 54% and 60% for γ = 30°, 60° and 90°, respectively, compared to the channel without plates. The unsteady flow pattern contributes to enhancing the heat transfer by disturbing the near-wall region. Notably, the plate tilt angle of γ = 30° achieves an optimal balance between enhancing heat transfer efficiency and reducing flow resistance. From these results, it can be concluded that this study is useful for the design efficiency of electronic cooling systems and heat exchangers that can provide maximum heat transfer with minimum flow resistance.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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History

  • Receive Date: 27 March 2025
  • Revise Date: 15 June 2025
  • Accept Date: 12 July 2025

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