Steyn, D; Craig, KJ; Everts, M; (2025) Advantages and Limitations of Uniform Wall Temperature Experimental and Numerical Investigations. In: International Conference on Fluid Flow Heat and Mass Transfer. (pp. p. 237). Avestia Publishing: London, UK.

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Abstract

This study critically compares the advantages and limitations of experimental and numerical investigations of laminar internal flow with a uniform wall temperature (UWT) boundary condition using two representative case studies. A review of the experimental setups, computational domains, and validation outcomes provides the necessary foundation for this comparison. While experimental investigations provide direct measurements that capture complex flow behaviours and ensure physically realistic results for the essential validation of numerical models, they are constrained by limited spatial resolution, measurement uncertainties, and high time and cost requirements, thereby restricting their suitability for parametric investigations. Furthermore, experimental investigations are limited by their inability to measure or visualise certain parameters directly. Conversely, numerical investigations enable the extraction and visualisation of any parameter at any location in the flow domain, support efficient, cost-effective and accurate parametric studies, and allow for the isolated quantitative investigations of underlying flow and heat transfer mechanisms, facilitating the identification of discrepancies. The limitations of numerical investigations, however, include reliance on simplifying assumptions and strong dependence on detailed experimental data and setup specifications for validation. Acknowledging the strengths and weaknesses of both methods, it is concluded that an integrated numerical and experimental approach would enable efficient resource allocation by limiting experimental investigations to critical cases within the parameter space—such as those involving complex physical phenomena or parameter extremes—while employing numerical simulations to populate the broader parameter space with high-resolution data that do not include measurement uncertainties. This combined approach mitigates the limitations of each method and leverages their respective advantages, thereby deepening the understanding of both numerical and experimental results, enhancing accuracy, refining empirical correlations, and ensuring that results remain grounded in real-world physical behaviour.

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