Numerical Study on Heat Transfer and Resistance of a Tube Fitted With New Twisted Tapes for Lubricating Oil

Oil coolers are widely-used in nuclear power plants which cool oil flowed through the bearing of steam turbines to a suitable temperature in order for the safe operation of steam turbines. Owing to the high viscosity, the flow state of oil is generally laminar flow or transition flow, which easily leads to poor heat transfer capability and thus a large volume of the oil coolers. The insertion of twisted tapes in circular tube is a passive method widely-used for enhancing heat transfer of laminar or transition flow. However, little research focuses on the heat transfer of highly-viscous fluids inside tube using the twisted tapes. The article will present the numerical simulations of the swirling flow induced by a new coaxial cross twisted tape inserts in a heat transfer tube with lubricating oil. The effects of the clearance ratios and twist ratios on oil side heat transfer coefficient, friction factor and performance evaluation criterion will be numerically investigated using CFD computer software STAR-CCM+. The clearance ratios are 0.077, 0.154 and 0.231. The twist ratios are 2.0 and 4.0. The boundary condition of simulation is constant wall temperature for the Reynolds number ranging from 200 to 1300. The results indicate that the new coaxial cross twisted tapes are efficacious in enhancing the heat transfer of the lubricating oil inside tube. When the clear ratio is 0.077, the effect of heat transfer enhancement of the coaxial cross twisted tapes is better than that of traditional twisted tapes. Furthermore, the highest performance evaluation criterion is up to 2.3.