Numerical investigation of the effect of a splitter plate on forced convection in a two dimensional channel with an inclined square cylinder

• Published in: International journal of thermal sciences Vol. 61; pp. 1 - 14
• Main Authors: Seyyedi, S.M., Bararnia, H., Ganji, D.D., Gorji-Bandpy, M., Soleimani, Soheil
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Masson SAS 01.11.2012; Elsevier
• Subjects: Channels; Computational fluid dynamics; Convection and heat transfer; Cylinders; Drag coefficients; Exact sciences and technology; Flow control; Fluid dynamics; Fluid flow; Fluids; Forced convection heat transfer; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Inclined square cylinder; Lattice Boltzmann method; Nusselt number; Physics; Plane channel; Rotational flow and vorticity; Separated flows; Splitter plate; Splitter plates; Turbulent flows, convection, and heat transfer; Inclined square cylinder; Lattice Boltzmann method; Plane channel; Splitter plate; Forced convection heat transfer; Forced convection; Boltzmann equation; Bluff body; Flow separation; Digital simulation; Inclination; Horizontal pipe; Laminar flow; Lattice model; Flow control; Modelling; Square section; Heat transfer
• ISSN: 1290-0729; 1778-4166
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijthermalsci.2012.07.003

In this paper, effects of a splitter plate and an inclined square cylinder with an angle of inclination equal to 45° on two-dimensional unsteady laminar flow and heat transfer in a plan channel is studied using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The governing parameters are the Reynolds number (based on the diameter of the square cylinder) ranging from 50 to 300, different gap ratios, Prandtl number of 0.71 and a fixed blockage ratio of 0.25. Results are presented in terms of average, time-averaged and instantaneous contours of streamline, temperature and vorticity, with some characteristics of fluid flow and heat transfer; such as time-averaged and instantaneous local Nusselt number and skin friction coefficient along the bottom wall of the channel. The results show that there exists an optimal location of the splitter plate which is corresponding to the maximum value of the ratio of the space and time-averaged Nusselt number to the time-averaged drag coefficient (<Nu¯>/Cd). There are also some specific points which are corresponding to a sudden jump in the drag coefficient and space and time-averaged Nusselt number. The existence of these points is related to the restarted vortex shedding in the wake region which affects the fluid flow. ► Effect of a splitter on forced convection around an inclined square cylinder. ► The lattice Boltzmann method with curved boundaries for flow and thermal fields. ► Minimum drag coefficient and Nusselt number occurs at specific distance of splitter. ► Sudden jump is seen as the gap ratio exceeds a specific value. ► The results showed that there exists an optimal location exist for the splitter plate.