Computer simulation of momentum and heat transfer across an expanded trapezoidal bluff body

Abstract

Steady and unsteady forced convection flow and heat transfer past a long expanded trapezoidal bluff body are investigated for the air as working fluid for Re=1–150. The wake length increases as the Reynolds number increases in the steady flow regime (1⩽Re⩽47). The transition from steady regime to unsteady regime occurs between Re=47 and 48. The total drag coefficient decreases with the increasing value of the Reynolds number up to Re=90 and thereafter it increases with Reynolds number. However, heat transfer as well as Strouhal number increase with the increasing value of the Reynolds number. The maximum augmentation in heat transfer for the expanded trapezoidal cylinder with respect to the tapered trapezoidal cylinder is found to be approximately 146%. On the other hand, pressure drop shows an enhancement of approximately 97% for the expanded trapezoidal cylinder when compared with the tapered one. Simple correlations of wake length, drag, average Nusselt number and Strouhal number with Reynolds number have also been established.