Testing of Rectangular Channels With Perturbed Entrances for Temperature Difference Under Constant Heat Flux

In this paper convective heat transfer performance of various duct geometries are compared using theoretical and experimental analyses. The experiments stretch further by perturbing the entrance region of the 2:1 rectangular duct (both inwards and outwards) and to obtain the effect on heat transfer performance. The cross-sectional area and length of the ducts are fixed and constant heat flux is applied to the ducts while cold water is used as the flow stream. The laminar flow regime is analysed. The theoretical and experimental cases are in agreement, with slight deviances attributed to certain assumptions made during the theoretical analysis and non-ideal testing conditions. The analyses concludes that perturbing the entrance region of a standard rectangular duct, both inwards and outwards, has a visible increase in heat transfer performance. The inward perturbed duct shows the highest increase in performance. The average variation between the theoretical and experimental case is about 18% for constant heat flux. The average error imposed on the results due experimental equipment is about 3% for constant heat flux experiments.