Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer from a Cylinder Between Parallel Planes: Analytical Approach

Abstract

In this study, an integral approach of the boundary layer analysis is employed to investigate the eects of blockage on fluid flow and heat transfer from a circular cylinder confined between parallel planes. The momentum equation is solved using the modified Von Karman-Pohlhausen method, which uses a fourth order velocity profile inside the hydrodynamic boundary layer. The potential flow velocity, outside the boundary layer, is obtained by the method of images. A third order temperature profile is used in the thermal boundary layer to solve the energy integral equation for isothermal and isoflux boundary conditions. Closed form solutions are obtained for the fluid flow and heat transfer from the cylinder with blockage ratio, Reynolds and Prandtl numbers as parameters. It is shown that the blockage ratio controls the fluid flow and the transfer of heat from the cylinder and delays the separation. The results for both thermal boundary conditions are found to be in a good agreement with experimental/numerical data for a single circular cylinder in a channel.