The influence of tip clearance and Prandtl number on turbulent forced convection heat transfer of rectangular fins

The turbulent forced convection heat transfer of rectangular fins in a duct was investigated by varying the tip clearance and Pr. Mass transfer experiments using a H2SO4-CuSO4 electroplating system were performed based on the analogy between heat and mass transfers. FLUENT 6.3 was used for calculations. Turbulent models were tested and the Reynolds Stress Model was chosen, which showed a 1.15 % discrepancy with the existing correlation for a simple tube flow when Pr = 2, but 13 % when Pr = 2014. For a more complex fin channel, the discrepancy increased up to 30 %. The optimal tip clearances, corresponding to maximum heat transfer rates, did not vary with Pr, which is explained using the temperature contours. The results were also compared with the laminar case where Pr influenced the optimal tip clearance.