Turbulent Flow Heat Transfer and Friction in a Rectangular Channel With Varying Numbers of Ribbed Walls

An experimental study of wall heat transfer and friction characteristics of a fully developed turbulent air flow in a rectangular channel with transverse ribs on one, two, and four walls is reported. Tests were performed for Reynolds numbers ranging from 10,000 to 80,000. The pitch-to-rib height ratio, P/e, was kept at 8 and rib height-to-channel hydraulic diameter ratio, e/D_h, was kept at 0.0625. The channel length-to-hydraulic diameter ratio, L/D_h, was 15. The heat transfer coefficient and friction factor values were enhanced with the increase in the number of ribbed walls. The friction roughness function, R(e⁺), was almost constant over the entire range of tests performed and was within comparable limits of the previously published data. The heat transfer roughness function, G(e⁺), decreased with additional ribbed walls and compared well with previous work in this area. Friction data obtained experimentally for the case with four ribbed walls compared well with the values predicted by the assumed theoretical relationship used in the present study and past publications. Results of this investigation could be used in various applications of internal channel turbulent flows involving different numbers of roughened walls.