Numerical Investigation of Hydrodynamics and Heat Transfer in Rheological Fluid Flow Through Channels with Different Baffle Shapes to Optimize Heat Exchanger Thermo-Hydraulic Performance

The presence of baffles in heat exchanger tubes plays an important role in improving heat transfer efficiency. Therefore, this study presents a numerical simulation of fluid flow and heat transfer in a tube equipped with baffles. The objective is to analyze the influence of key parameters, in particular the Reynolds number (Re = 5–50), the temperature difference between the fluid and the tube walls, the shape of the baffle, and the rheological behavior of the fluid on the heat transfer performance. The simulations are performed under laminar flow conditions. The results show that these parameters significantly affect the heat transfer coefficient, resulting in improved thermal performance. In addition, rectangular baffles exhibit a higher performance coefficient compared to the other configurations studied. Furthermore, the structural index of pseudoplastic fluids, which varies between 0.2 and 0.8, has a significant effect on heat transfer and vortex formation behind the baffles.