Heat Transfer Enhancement in Swirling Flow Systems

Swirling flow systems exploit controlled rotation of a fluid to intensify convective heat transfer by promoting mixing and thinning of thermal boundary layers. The introduction of tangential jets or boundary roughness generates vortical structures that augment turbulence levels and circumferential velocity, thereby enhancing the transport of thermal energy from heated surfaces. Such techniques find applications in anti-icing chambers, internal cooling passages of turbine blades and compact heat exchangers. Key performance metrics include the Nusselt number, which quantifies convective heat transfer, and the friction or pressure‐loss penalty associated with induced flow rotation. Optimisation of swirl intensity, inlet geometry and surface features such as ribs, grooves or dimples is critical to maximise thermal enhancement while minimising pumping power. Recent advances have focused on combining numerical simulation with experimental validation to tailor swirl devices for diverse industrial needs, including aircraft anti-icing, gas turbine cooling and process engineering.

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Heat Transfer Enhancement in Swirling Flow Systems publication trend

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Technical terms

Swirl Number: A dimensionless parameter representing the ratio of axial flux of angular momentum to axial flux of linear momentum, indicating the intensity of rotation in a flow.

Nusselt Number: A dimensionless measure of convective heat transfer relative to conduction, defined as the product of convective heat transfer coefficient, characteristic length and inverse thermal conductivity.

Reynolds Number: A dimensionless ratio of inertial forces to viscous forces in a fluid, used to characterise flow regimes as laminar or turbulent.

Tangential Jet: A fluid injection method in which flow enters a conduit at an angle parallel to the inner circumference, inducing swirl and enhancing mixing.

Global Thermal Performance Factor: A metric combining heat transfer enhancement and associated pressure-loss penalties, used to assess the overall efficiency of enhanced cooling configurations.

References

1. A Numerical Study on Swirling Hot Air Anti-Icing with Various Surface Structures on the Internal Wall. Energies (2023).
2. Effects of Circumferential and Longitudinal Ribs and Grooves in Swirl Cooling on Characteristics of Pressure Drop and Heat Transfer. Iranian Journal of Science and Technology, Transactions of Mechanical Engineering (2023).
3. Investigations on Hot Air Anti-Icing Characteristics with Internal Jet-Induced Swirling Flow. Aerospace (2024).