Laminar flow and heat transfer in three-dimensional spiral ducts of rectangular cross section with aspect ratios of 1, 4, and 8 were determined with the aide of the FLUENT computational fluid dynamics program. Peripherally-averaged coefficients of friction and Nusselt numbers are presented as a function of distance from the inlet and of the Dean number. Fully-developed values of friction coefficient and Nusselt number for a constant-radius-of-curvature duct, either toroidal or helical with small pitch, can be used to predict those quantities for the spiral duct in post-entry regions. These results are applicable to spiral-plate heat exchangers.

Volume Subject Area:
Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer
Keywords:
spiral, heat exchanger, curved duct, Dean number
Topics:
Ducts, Heat exchangers, Heat transfer, Laminar flow
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Copyright © 2004
 by ASME
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