Reynolds average Navier-Stokes (RANS) modeling has established itself as a critical design tool in many engineering applications, thanks to its superior computational efficiency. The drawbacks of RANS models are well known, but not necessarily well understood: poor prediction of transition, non-equilibrium flows, mixing and heat transfer, to name the ones relevant to our study. In the present study, we use a direct numerical simulation (DNS) of a reciprocating channel flow driven by an oscillating pressure gradient to test several low- and high-Reynolds' RANS models. Temperature is introduced as a passive scalar to study heat transfer modeling. Low-Reynolds' models manage to capture the overall physics of wall shear and heat flux well, yet with some phase discrepancies, whereas high-Reynolds' models fail. We have derived an integral method for wall shear and wall heat flux analysis, which reveals the contributing terms for both metrics. This method shows that the qualitative agreement appears more serendipitous than driven by the ability of the models to capture the correct physics. The integral method is shown to be more insightful in the benchmarking of RANS models than the typical comparisons of statistical quantities. This method enables the identification of the sources of discrepancies in energy budget equations. For instance, in the wall heat flux, one model is shown to have an out of phase dynamic behavior when compared to the benchmark results, demonstrating a significant issue in the physics predicted by this model. Our study demonstrates that the integral method applied to RANS modeling yields information not previously available that should guide the derivation of physically more accurate models.

The Reciprocating Mechanism Driven Heat Loop (RMDHL) is a novel heat transfer device that utilizes reciprocating flow, either single-phase or two-phase flow, to enhance the thermal management in high tech inventions. The device attains a high heat transfer rate through a reciprocating flow of the working fluid inside the heat transfer device. Although the concept of the device has been tested and validated experimentally, analytical or numerical studies have not been undertaken to understand its working mechanism and provide guidance for the device design. The objectives of this study are to understand the underlying physical mechanisms of heat transfer in internal reciprocating flow, formulate corresponding heat transfer correlations, conduct an experimental study for the heat transfer coefficient, and numerically model the single-phase and two-phase operations of the RMDHL to predict its performance under different working conditions. The two-phase flow boiling model was developed from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) model, and a virtual loop written in C programming language was used to eliminate the need for fluid structure interaction (FSI) modelling. The accuracy of several turbulence formulations, including the Standard, RNG, and Realizable k-ɛ Models, Standard and SST k-ω Models, Transition k - - ω Model, and Transition SST Model, have been tested in conjunction with a CFD solver to select the most suitable turbulence modelling techniques. The numerical results obtained from the single-phase and two-phase models are compared with relevant experimental data with good agreement. Three-dimensional numerical results indicate that the RMDHL can meaningfully reduce the peak temperature of an electronic device and result in significantly more uniform temperature across the device. In addition to the numerical study, experimental studies in conjunction with analytical studies are undertaken. Experimental data and related heat transfer coefficient as well as practically useful semi-empirical correlations have been produced, all of which provide archival information for the design of heat transfer devices involving a reciprocating flow. In particular, this research will lead to the development of more powerful RMDHLs, achieve a heat flux goal of 600 W/cm2, and significantly advance the thermal management at various levels. Considering the other advantages of coolant leakage free and the absence of cavitation problems, the RMDHL could also be employed for aerospace and battery cooling applications.