Thermal performance of heat exchanger tube installed with triple twisted-tapes

A current study deals with the numerical analysis of heat transfer intensification, flow-thermal fields, local heat transfer distribution, friction factor and thermal performance behavior of the heat exchanger tubes installed with triple twisted tapes. Each set of triple twisted tapes consists of three twisted tapes having an identical twist ratio. Twisted tapes of interest have three different twisted ratios (y/w = 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0). Simulation was performed for the turbulent flow with Reynolds numbers (Re) ranging from 5000 to 20,000. Numerical results indicate that the use of triple twisted-tapes leads to heat transfer enhancement. Nusselt number (Nu) and friction factor (f) increase while thermal performance factor () decreases with decreasing twist ratio of triple twisted tapes. The Nusselt numbers of the tubes installed with triple twisted-tapes having twist ratios of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 are higher than those of the plain tube by around 3.34-4.45, 2.75-3.65 and 2.56-3.41 times, respectively. Friction factors (f) of the tubes installed triple twisted-tapes with twist ratios of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 are increased up to 46.1-49.7, 24.16-26.04 and 15.86-17.09 times, respectively, as compared to those of the plain tube. The maximum thermal performance factors of 1.21, 1.23 and 1.32 are obtained by using triple twisted tapes with y/w = 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 at the Reynolds number of 5000.