Experimental investigation of heat transfer from different pin fin in a rectangular channel

Abstract

In this study, the effect of both hexagonal pin fins (HPFs) and cylindrical pin fins (CPFs) into the rectangular channel on heat transfer augmentation, Nusselt number and friction factor were experimentally investigated. In planning of the experiments, different Reynolds number, pin fin array, pin fin geometry and the ratio of the distance between pin fin spacing (s) to the pin fin hydraulic diameter (s/Dh) were chosen as the design parameters. Air was used as the fluid. The Reynolds number, based on the channel hydraulic diameter of the rectangular channel, was varied from 3188 to 19531. In the experiments, the heating plate was made of stainless steel foil. The foil was electrically heated by means of a high current DC power supply to provide a constantly heated flux surface. The heat transfer results were obtained using the infrared thermal imaging technique. The heat transfer results of the hexagonal pin fins (HPFs) and cylindrical pin fins (CPFs) are compared with those of a smooth plate. Best heat transfer performance was obtained with the hexagonal pin fins. The maximum thermal performance factor ((Ƞ), was obtained as Re = 3188, staggered array, s/Dh = 0, Ƞ = 2.28.