SIMULATION OF HEAT TRANSFER ENHANCEMENT IN A PIPE USING RECTANGULAR CUT TWISTED TAPE INSERT: A FEM APPROACH

Abstract

A simulation analysis has been conducted to investigate heat transfer enhancement using rectangular-cut twisted tape inserts in a U-shaped pipe. Numerical simulations have also been carried out for a plain tube and a tube with smooth twisted tape (TT) inserts, and the results have been compared across three configurations: rectangular-cut TT inserts, smooth TT inserts, and the plain tube. The analysis has utilized a U-bend pipe with a length of 1935.6 mm and an inner diameter of 26.6 mm. For non-isothermal turbulent flow, water has been selected as the working fluid, and the Reynolds number (Re) range has been considered from 5319.4 to 17288.05. The rectangular-cut twisted tape inserts have demonstrated superior heat transfer performance compared to the other two configurations due to enhanced fluid mixing in the turbulent flow regime. In this study, the dimensionless Nusselt number (Nu) has consistently been higher for the rectangular-cut twisted tape configuration and has shown a gradual increase with rising Reynolds numbers. The results have also indicated improved thermal performance (ɳ), with a thermal performance factor of 1.04 and favorable friction factor values for the pipe fitted with rectangular cut twisted tape inserts.