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

Abstract

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.