On the influence of gravitational and centrifugal buoyancy on laminar flow and heat transfer in curved pipes and coils

Abstract The effects of gravitational and centrifugal buoyancy on laminar flow and heat transfer in curved and helical pipes were investigated by numerical simulation. Six dimensionless numbers characterizing the problem were identified, and an analysis was conducted on the possible combinations of signs of the gravitational and centrifugal buoyancy effects. Two distinct Richardson numbers were introduced in order to quantify the importance of the two types of buoyancy, and it was shown that, in the case of heating from the wall, a maximum realizable value of the centrifugal Richardson number exists which is a linear function of the curvature δ (ratio of pipe radius a to curvature radius c)…