Heat transfer enhancement through periodic flow area variations in microchannels

Abstract In this study, annular microchannels with a microscale gap of 300 μm were implemented through the concentric superposition of two macro-sized cylinders. Flow area variations along the streamwise direction were created by introducing sinusoidal wave profiles on either the inner or outer wall of the annular gap while keeping the other wall flat. These variations introduced re-entrant effects along the flow direction. Numerical studies using the finite volume method were performed to elucidate the single-phase, steady-state thermal and hydrodynamic performances of the wavy channels, using water as the fluid medium, with an operating Reynolds number range of 800–2200. The predicted results were validated using the available measured data and classical correlations. This study demonstrated the viability of attaining enhanced heat transfer rates of up to 360% of the original straight channel through the inducement of flow area variations with single wavy-walled channels. Despite magnifications of the friction factors, the single wavy-walled channels attained a 120% increment in heat transfer coefficient when evaluated at the same pumping power. Overall, single-walled wavy passages were deemed suitable for heat exchanger designs demanding very high heat removal rates and efficiencies while the conventional serpentine channels were apt for moderately enhancing heat transfer while requiring low pumping power.