VON KARMAN INSTITUTE FOR FLUID DYNAMICS

TURBOMACHINERY DEPARTMENT
Experimental Study on Turbulent Heat
Transfer Measurements with Liquid Crystal
Technique in a Ribbed Tube
ZGE ATE
Supervisor: TONY ARTS
Advisor: IGNACIO MAYO YAGE


June , 2014

The main objective of the study is to carry out the heat transfer measurements on the surface of ribbed
tube with highly turbulent flow by using Liquid Crystal Thermography Technique with a specific
Reynolds Number range (2x10
4
- 10
5
). To get qualitative information about the heat transfer, data is
acquired as Enhancement Factor.
There are numerous measurement techniques available to investigate the heat transfer distribution on
surfaces. In this study surface temperature is measured with steady wide band Thermochromic Liquid
Crystals, because they are well suited to be a nonintrusive method and we have a chance to get full field
temperature maps of the investigated region. This technique is principally employed in investigations
on heat transfer over flat surfaces. In this study, steady, wide-band Thermochromic Liquid Crystal
calibration and processing technique are adjusted for the heat transfer measurements on a cylindrical
surface, in deference to viewing angle effect.
In the determination of the experimental setup, manufacturing possibilities of the pipe and the ribs,
as well as the assembly techniques of heater element on the inner surface of the tube channel are
investigated. Arrangement of the instrumentation (heater position, black paint - Thermochromic Liquid
Crystals, thermocouples, pressure probes, etc) has been carefully studied and determined.
As the results of the work Heat Transfer Distribution over the cylindrical tube surface is determined.