Performance Evaluation Criteria for Triangular Microchannels with Smoothed Corners

Abstract

The manufacturing capabilities available today for microchannels make it possible to produce in a comparatively easy, quick and cheap way several cross-sections, possibly allowing modifications of the macro-geometry. Another way is smoothing the corners of polygona cross-sections: this eliminates low-gradient areas and increases transport phenomena, i.e. frictional losses and heat transfer. Several ways of assessing the relative performance of the new shape in comparison to the original have been suggested over the years, among which are Performance Evaluation Criteria (PEC), as proposed by Bergles and Webb. PEC are based on a first-law analysis and aim at extremising the thermal power, heat exchange area, inlet temperature difference or pumping power under varying constraints. In this work equilateral triangular microchannels with uniform wall temperature are considered, through which a liquid flows in fully-developed, steady laminar regime. The cross-sectional area has its corners progressively rounded, and the velocity and temperature profiles are determined, in order to compute the Poiseuille, Nusselt and Stanton numbers, which are then employed in computing the objective functions for some PEC.