In order to explore and analyze the heat transfer characteristics in narrow rectangular channel, experiments on local single-phase heat transfer of natural circulation in a one-side heating narrow rectangular channel have been conducted under vertical and inclined condition. The thermotechnical parameters such as inlet temperature, heat flux and inclination angle varies during the experiments. The width of the flow channel is 40 mm and the narrow gap is 2 mm. It is heated from one side with a homogeneous and constant heat flux and the working medium is deionized water.
Based on the experimental results, under vertical condition, the driving force in the loop goes up and the Reynolds number also increases when the inlet temperature is elevated, which causes an increase in local Nusselt number. When the heat flux rises, the local Nusselt number increases and the heat transfer temperature difference increases. The local Nusselts number is influenced by entrance effect and the entrance region length is computed for laminar and turbulent flow. Under inclined condition, with the inclination angle from −30° to 30°, it is found that when the inclination angle is positive, the local Nusselt number in fully developed region is larger than that under vertical condition and increases with the angle value, even though the Reynolds number decreases by the effect of incline. This phenomenon is explained by giving an analysis of the natural convection, which is characterized by the normal Grashof number, in the direction perpendicular to the heating plat. Moreover, the variation of heat transfer is also interpreted on the basis of field coordination principle. However, when the inclination angle is negative, the heat transfer shows no obvious difference between vertical condition and inclined condition.
Discussion: “Critical-Heat-Flux and Flow-Pattern Observations for Low-Pressure Water Flowing in Tubes” (Bergles, A. E., Lopina, R. F., and Fiori, M. P., 1967, ASME J. Heat Transfer, 89, pp. 69–74)
