Laminar flow of viscoelastic fluids in rectangular ducts with heat transfer: A finite element analysis

A numerical study on the laminar flow and heat transfer behavior of viscoelastic fluids in rectangular ducts is conducted using the finite element approach. A Criminale-Ericksen-Fibley relation is applied to describe the viscoelastic character of the fluid, and a hydrodynamically and thermally fully developed flow with the H1 thermal boundary condition is considered. The finite element procedure employed yields essentially mesh-independent predictions with a fairly moderate computational effort. Computed results are presented and discussed in terms of the secondary flow field, the temperature field, the friction factor and the Nusselt number. In particular it is shown that the presence of a secondary flow markedly alters the temperature field and results in a substantial heat transfer enhancement with all duct aspect ratios considered. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd.