Ultrasonic Heat Transfer Enhancement with Obstacle in Front of Heating Surface

Heat transfer enhancement using a horn-type transducer was carried out in the natural convection region while a flat plate was used as a wall-like obstacle in front of the heating surface. Three types of plate were used as obstacles: acrylic, aluminum, and Styrofoam. A horn tip of 6 mm diameter and 60.7 kHz was used as the ultrasonic transducer. The acoustic cavitation jet induced by the ultrasonic vibration exhibited the same tendency as the axisymmetric free jet. The acoustic jet from the horn tip was shut out by the flat plate; however, the ultrasound passed through the flat plate and transferred the flow effect and agitation effect to the area behind the plate. By applying ultrasonic vibration, the heat transfer coefficient of the heating surface behind the flat plate was increased by up to threefold. The heat transfer coefficient decreased as the thickness of the flat plate increased. The heat transfer coefficient was the highest for the acrylic plate, then the aluminum plate, and lowest for the Styrofoam plate.