This project supports cooperative research by Dr. S. Sengupta of the University of Miami and Dr. A.K. Mohanty of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India. These scientists plan to investigate, experimentally and numerically, the heat transfer in the entrance region of shells containing finite number of rods. The study will include the effects of the type of array, the relative distances (distance divided by diameter) between rods and the channel walls, the Reynolds number and the Grashoff number. Included will be laminar and turbulent regimes in finite rods bundles bound by square as well as circular shells. Comparison of experimental and numerical results will be made to evaluate the adequacy of existing one-equation and two-equation closures in predicting the developing flow. Scope: The experimental work on the geometrical types will be carried out at Kharagpur. The analytical work on the square bundle will also be carried at Kharagpur, while the analytical work on the circular geometry will be carried at Miami. Thus both scientists will contribute to the study and their efforts will complement each other. Both institutes have the facilities to do the required work and will be building on existing experience.
