ABSTRACT This study investigates the potential of enhancing heat transfer in smooth tubes by incorporating various roughness geometries. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to evaluate the performance of heat exchanger tubes with different roughness shapes (dimple, protrusion), pitch spaces (80–140 mm), and diameters (4–8 mm). The Reynolds number was varied from 5000 to 30,000. Results demonstrate a significant increase in heat transfer compared to smooth tubes, with a maximum Nusselt number enhancement factor of 2.8. A positive correlation was observed between heat transfer and Reynolds number, while friction factor decreased. Furthermore, Nusselt number increased with larger pitch spaces between roughness elements. The optimal thermal‐hydraulic performance, with a maximum performance evaluation criterion ( η ) of 2.128378783, was achieved using a combination of dimple and protrusion shapes at a Reynolds number of 30,000 and a pitch space of 120 mm. This study highlights the significant potential of roughness‐based techniques for improving the thermal efficiency of heat exchange systems. This study addresses a critical challenge in thermal engineering: how to enhance the efficiency of heat exchangers while minimizing energy losses. Heat exchangers are integral to a wide range of industrial applications such as power generation, HVAC systems, chemical processing, and automotive cooling where improved thermal performance can lead to substantial energy savings and reduced operational costs. Traditional smooth tubes in heat exchangers often suffer from low heat transfer rates, which leads to increased energy use or oversized. The economic viability of this study is improved heat transfer efficiency, reduction in energy losses, optimization of flow conditions, potential for extended heat exchanger lifespan.
Saini et al. (Wed,) studied this question.
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