Heat transfer characteristics of fluid flow in an annulus with an inner rotating cylinder having a labyrinth structure

The convective heat transfer coefficient was experimentally investigated in an annulus with an inner rotating cylinder to estimate the thermal fatigue of the inner and outer cylinders on the rotating machine. The following three conclusions were obtained: (1) Within the range of the experimental conditions, the heat transfer coefficient did not depend on the axial flow rate; rather, it showed a larger dependence on the inner cylinder rotating speed. (2) The heat transfer coefficient at the top of the labyrinth was about three times as large as that at the bottom. (3) An empirical correlation equation considering the gap between the inner and outer cylinders is proposed, which predicts the heat transfer coefficient on the rotating machine within ±30 percent. © 1997 Scripta Technica. Inc. Heat Trans Jpn Res. 25 (2): 103–119, 1996