Description of the flow behavior between cross-corrugated plates with convergent and divergent separation

Experimental evidence of the fluid flow at the entrance section of channels formed between parallel cross-corrugated plates is used to describe the flow pattern in that complex arrangement. The plates are separated in a convergent and a divergent way, respectively. The flow visualization is performed by seeding reflective micro-particles in water. The cross-corrugated plates are characterized by corrugations with sinusoidal profile, 83 mm wavelength and 75 mm amplitude, placed ±45° relative to the main flow direction. While the wavelength-amplitude aspect ratio is maintained fixed, both the angle separation between plates and Reynolds number are varied in wide ranges, respectively. The essential feature of the flow is the secondary swirling motion in the furrow flows because of the crossing among streams. The flow regimes that describe the behavior of the three streams developed are defined as: steady, unsteady and flow with laminar mixing. The results show that the flow instability is born close to the exit of the channel and it moves upstream as the Reynolds number is increased for all cases. The flow pattern obtained is compared with that reported for the chevron arrangement and for the case when the plates have a constant separation. © 2009 by ABCM.

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