Finite-Volume Solutions for Laminar Flow and Heat Transfer in a Corrugated Duct

A finite volume methodology was developed to predict fully developed heat transfer coefficients, friction factors, and streamlines for flow in a corrugated duct. The basis of the method is an algebraic coordinate transformation which maps the complex fluid domain onto a rectangle. The method can be adopted for other convection-diffusion problems in which two boundaries of the flow domain do not lie along the coordinate lines. Representative results were found for laminar flow, uniform wall temperature, and for a range of Reynolds number, Prandtl number, corrugation angle, and dimensionless interwall spacing. As seen from the streamlines, the flow patterns are highly complex including large recirculation zones. The pressure drops and friction factor results are higher than the corresponding values for a straight duct. Finally, the performance of the corrugated duct was compared with the straight duct under three different constraints—fixed pumping power, fixed pressure drop, and fixed mass flow rate. There are small differences in the heat transfer rate ratios under these constraints.