Numerical Investigation of Heat Transfer in Straight Pipe of Elliptic Cross-section Rotating in Orthogonal Mode

Authors

  • O. T. Popoola Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
  • O. A. Lasode Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
  • I. K. Adegun Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin
  • A. B. Rabiu Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Ilorin, Ilorin

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.63746/njtd.v23i1.4498

Keywords:

Heat Transfer, Orthogonal mode, Elliptic Pipes, Rotation

Abstract

Efficient heat removal in rotating cooling channels remains a critical challenge in thermal systems such as blades of gas turbine and rotating heat exchangers, where complex rotational forces significantly influence flow and temperature distributions. However, the combined effects of pipe eccentricity and orthogonal rotation on turbulent heat transfer in non-circular ducts are not yet fully quantified. This study numerically investigates the heat transfer characteristics of fluid flow in a straight pipe with an elliptical cross-section that rotates in an orthogonal mode. The objectives are to evaluate the influence of eccentricity, Rossby number, and Prandtl number on convective heat transfer. A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model which is based on the finite volume method was developed using ANSYS Fluent. Simulations were conducted at a Reynolds number of 17,000 with a constant wall heat flux for three eccentricities (0.433, 0.866, and 0.916) and Prandtl numbers ranging from 0.73 to 7. Mesh independence was achieved at approximately 1.07 × 10? computational nodes. The results showed that the Nusselt number increased with both Rossby and Prandtl numbers, reaching a maximum value of approximately 340 at Pr = 7 and Ro = 0.1. The pipe with eccentricity 0.916 exhibited the highest heat transfer performance. The findings provide practical design guidance for cooling channels in rotating machinery such as gas turbines, heat exchangers, and rotating electrical systems.

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Published

2026-03-31

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Vol. 23 No. 1 (2026): Volume 23, Issue 1, March 2026.

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