Heat transfer and friction characteristics in rectangular channels with rib turbulators

The effect of the channel aspect ratio on the distribution of the local heat transfer coefficient in rectangular channels with two opposite ribbed walls (to simulate turbine airfoil cooling passages) was determined for a Reynolds number range of 10,000 to 60,000. The channel width-to-height ratios (W/H, ribs on side W) were 1/4, 1/2, 1, 2, and 4. The test channels were heated by passing current through thin, stainless steel foils instrumented with thermocouples. The local heat transfer coefficients on the ribbed side wall and on the smooth side wall of each test channel from the channel entrance to the fully developed regions were measured for two rib spacings (P/e = 10 and 20). The rib angle-of-attack was kept at 90 deg. The local data in the fully developed region were averaged and correlated, based on the heat transfer and friction similarity laws developed for ribbed channels, to cover the ranges of channel aspect ratio, rib spacing, rib height, and Reynolds number. The results compare well with the published data for flow in a square channel with two opposite ribbed walls. The correlations can be used in the design of turbine airfoil cooling passages.