The Effect of Combined Circular and Hexagonal Perforation on Multi-Blade Twisted Tape on Thermal-Hydraulic Performance
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.21070/r.e.m.v11i2.1881Keywords:
Multiblade Twisted Tape, Combined Perforation, Nusselt Number, Friction Factor, Performance Evaluation CriterionAbstract
Twisted tape is a passive method to enhance the thermal hydraulic performance of heat exchangers, but increasing the number of blades in a multi-blade twisted tape (MBTT) can lead to flow blockage and reduce performance at high blade counts. This study evaluates alternating circular-hexagonal perforations on multi-blade twisted tape (MBTT) with 2, 4, 6, and 8 blades at Reynolds numbers of 6,000–22,000 using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Performance is evaluated based on the Nusselt number, friction factor, pressure drop, and Performance Evaluation Criterion (PEC). The results show a maximum Nusselt number increase of 82.0% on MBTT 6-H at Re=22,000, while a maximum PEC of 1.136 is obtained on MBTT 2-C-H. In the MBTT 8-C-H configuration, the pressure drop reaches 12,246.76 Pa and the PEC decreases to 0.851. The results indicate that circular–hexagonal perforation can maintain an increase in heat transfer at a high number of blades, but the hydraulic penalty becomes more dominant in the eight-blade configuration.
References
[1] M. Omidi, M. Farhadi, and M. Jafari, “A comprehensive review on double pipe heat exchangers,” Jan. 05, 2017, Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2016.09.027.
[2] M. Paikar, K. Hosseinzadeh, J. R. Kermani, and D. D. Ganji, “Hydrothermal assessment of a double-pass shell and tube heat exchanger in the presence of blade turbulators with different configurations,” International Journal of Thermofluids, vol. 21, Feb. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.ijft.2024.100577.
[3] T. L. . Bergman and A. S. . Levine, Fundamentals of heat and mass transfer. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2019.
[4] M. Okiishi and H. Rothmayer, “Fundamentals of Fluid seventh edition Mechanics,” 2013.
[5] Varun, M. O. Garg, H. Nautiyal, S. Khurana, and M. K. Shukla, “Heat transfer augmentation using twisted tape inserts: A review,” Sep. 01, 2016, Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.04.051.
[6] M. M. K. Bhuiya, A. K. Azad, M. S. U. Chowdhury, and M. Saha, “Heat transfer augmentation in a circular tube with perforated double counter twisted tape inserts,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 74, pp. 18–26, May 2016, doi: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2016.03.001.
[7] T. Alam and M. H. Kim, “A critical review on artificial roughness provided in rectangular solar air heater duct,” Mar. 01, 2017, Elsevier Ltd. doi: 10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.192.
[8] W. He, D. Toghraie, A. Lotfipour, F. Pourfattah, A. Karimipour, and M. Afrand, “Effect of twisted-tape inserts and nanofluid on flow field and heat transfer characteristics in a tube,” International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, vol. 110, Jan. 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.icheatmasstransfer.2019.104440.
[9] A. Kahsay Kiros, D. Goytom Tewolde, A. Kidanu Atsbeha, K. Gebremicheal Gebru, and T. Tekleab Teklehaimanot, “Effect of multi-leg twisted tape inserts on heat transfer and pressure drop characteristics of a laminar pipe flow: A comparative analysis,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 74, p. 106838, Oct. 2025, doi: 10.1016/j.csite.2025.106838.
[10] Y. Ju et al., “Evaluation of multiple semi-twisted tape inserts in a heat exchanger pipe using al2o3 nanofluid,” Nanomaterials, vol. 11, no. 6, Jun. 2021, doi: 10.3390/nano11061570.
[11] A. Saysroy and S. Eiamsa-ard, “Enhancing convective heat transfer in laminar and turbulent flow regions using multi-channel twisted tape inserts,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 121, pp. 55–74, Nov. 2017, doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2017.07.002.
[12] T. Dagdevir and V. Ozceyhan, “An experimental study on heat transfer enhancement and flow characteristics of a tube with plain, perforated and dimpled twisted tape inserts,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 159, Jan. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2020.106564.
[13] A. Bouregueba, A. Begag, R. Saim, and M. A. Kherrafi, “Heat Transfer Enhancement in a Heat Exchanger Tube Using Twisted Tapes with Circular and Hexagonal Perforations,” International Journal of Thermodynamics, vol. 28, no. 3, pp. 176–186, 2025, doi: 10.5541/ijot.1653747.
[14] R. Sedaghat, K. Mobarhan Dalili, and S. M. Hosseinalipour, “A comprehensive analysis of heat transfer in a heat exchanger with simple and perforated twisted tapes based on numerical simulations,” Case Studies in Thermal Engineering, vol. 56, Apr. 2024, doi: 10.1016/j.csite.2024.104227.
[15] R. Cabello, A. E. Plesu Popescu, J. Bonet-Ruiz, D. Curcó Cantarell, and J. Llorens, “Heat transfer in pipes with twisted tapes: CFD simulations and validation,” Comput. Chem. Eng., vol. 166, Oct. 2022, doi: 10.1016/j.compchemeng.2022.107971.
[16] K. L. Liaw, J. C. Kurnia, and A. P. Sasmito, “Turbulent convective heat transfer in helical tube with twisted tape insert,” Int. J. Heat Mass Transf., vol. 169, Apr. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.ijheatmasstransfer.2021.120918.
[17] F. W. Dittus, L. M. K. Boelter, and V. ] 12, “HEAT TRANSFER IN AUTOMOBILE RADIATORS OF THE TUBULAR TYPE.”
[18] T. Dagdevir, M. Uyanik, and V. Ozceyhan, “The experimental thermal and hydraulic performance analyses for the location of perforations and dimples on the twisted tapes in twisted tape inserted tube,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 167, Sep. 2021, doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2021.107033.
[19] M. E. Nakhchi and J. A. Esfahani, “Numerical investigation of rectangular-cut twisted tape insert on performance improvement of heat exchangers,” International Journal of Thermal Sciences, vol. 138, pp. 75–83, Apr. 2019, doi: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2018.12.039.
[20] K. S. Mushatet, Q. A. Rishak, and M. H. Fagr, “Experimental and numerical investigation of swirling turbulent flow and heat transfer due to insertion of twisted tapes of new models in a heated tube,” Appl. Therm. Eng., vol. 171, May 2020, doi: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2020.115070.
Published
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Bayu Adistia, Fahrudin Fahrudin, Nicky Yongkimandalan
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Copyright Notice
Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.
