Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes Equations Research Articles

Numerical Investigation into the Hydrodynamic Performance of a Biodegradable Drifting Fish Aggregating Device

Drifting fish aggregating devices (DFADs) can significantly enhance fishing efficiency and capability. Conventional drifting devices are prone to degradation in harsh marine environments, leading to marine waste or pollution. In this study, we develop a biodegradable DFAD (Bio-DFAD) to minimise negative impacts on marine ecology. To investigate the hydrodynamic performance of the proposed device, numerical modelling involving the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equation has been conducted, in which a realisable k–ε model is applied to consider the turbulence effect. The response amplitude operators, which are key parameters for design, are obtained for heave and pitch motions. The hydrodynamic performance is found to be sensitive to the relative length, relative diameter, and wave steepness, but they are less sensitive to the relative current velocity. This work provides some scientific insights for practical applications.

Numerical analysis on hydrodynamic performance and wake recovery of helical-bladed hydrokinetic turbine: Impact of section inclination angle

In the context of exploiting renewable sources, cross-flow helical hydrokinetic turbine is conceded as one of the promising choices to unlock the potential in free-flowing water bodies. This study examines the impact of blade section inclination angle (−10° to +8°) and operational parameters, namely, tip speed ratio (0.6–1.4) and inflow velocity (1.0–2.5 m/s) on the performance as well as wake recovery of a 4-bladed rotor. The coefficients of power and section-averaged mean streamwise velocity deficit values are computed by solving the unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equations coupled with k-ε RNG turbulence model using numerical simulations to assess the performance and velocity recovery, respectively. The power coefficients are seen to be improved with an increase in negative section inclination angle and are found optimum in the range from −6° to −10° at a tip speed ratio of 1.0. The simulation results also reveal that the section inclination angle and tip speed ratio parameters significantly influence the velocity recovery. Furthermore, the performance decreases as the inflow velocity increases; however, the wake recovery is unaffected, with an identical wake length of 13 times the rotor diameter along the streamwise direction at a tip speed ratio of 1.0.

Experimental Study On Pressure-Velocity Relation Of Near-Field Tip Vortex Using Tomographic PIV

The non-cavitating tip vortex in the near field of an elliptical hydrofoil is studied using tomographic particle image velocimetry (TPIV). By investigating the distributions of the axial velocity difference and streamwise vorticity, the formation and development of the near-field tip vortex are clearly revealed. In the near field, the axial flow within the tip vortex manifests a jet-like profile, and the majority of the vorticity is contained within the vortex core. A special position is identified during the streamwise evolution of the tip vortex, where the vortex core circulation reaches its local maximum for the first time and tip vortex cavitation (TVC) might be more prone to incept. In the vicinity of this crucial position, a concise relation between the static pressure along the tip vortex center line and the local velocity is derived by combining the three-dimensional measured velocity fields with the governing equations. Based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation, it is revealed that the mean static pressure along the vortex center line is directly related to the local mean axial velocity, whereas the local velocity fluctuation has little impact on the mean static pressure. It is the first attempt to combine the three-dimensional measurement with the governing equations to investigate the near-field tip vortex flow, which might provide valuable insights for understanding and predicting tip vortex cavitation inception.

Reconstruction Of Time-Averaged 3D Pressure Fields In The Wake Of An Ahmed Body With Pressure From PIV

In this contribution, we present and compare time-averaged pressure fields reconstructed from scanned stereoscopic 2D3C-PIV data and volumetric 3D-PTV data (Shake-The-Box) with classic pointwise surface pressure tap measurements. Measurements were conducted in the near-wake region of an one-quarter scaled Ahmed body (Ahmed 1984) with 25° slant angle at height-based Reynolds numbers of Re = 5.06 · 10^4 and 1.13 · 10^5, respectively, i.e. free-stream velocities of 10.5 m/s and 23.5 m/s. The measurements are a continuation of previous measurements (Gericke et al. 2023, Ladwig et al. 2023) with a focus on the more complex flow topology concerning the wake flow structure. Measurements were conducted in a low-speed wind tunnel of Göttinger design with a semi-closed test section at Bochum University of Applied Sciences. The investigated flow field in the near wake region is dominantly characterized by a strongly three-dimensional flow field based on a mutually influenced vortex system in the wake, which challenges the utilized pressure reconstruction algorithm based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. The present study addresses challenges in pressure reconstruction due to the presence of highly transient rotational and shearing flow in the context of a practical application. The results show good agreement between reconstructed PIV/PTV-based pressure fields and reference pressure measurements using classic wall pressure measurements. The global characteristics of the pressure distributions are correctly reproduced. The agreement is particularly good in areas of unidirectional flow and local smaller velocity gradients. In shear zones as well as separation and, e.g., recirculation areas, larger deviations are clearly visible, as the velocity gradients present near the surface are not sufficiently captured at all.

Three-dimensional numerical simulation of a cylindrical oscillating water column (OWC) device placed in a wave flume

A three-dimensional computational fluid dynamic (CFD) model is developed for simulating a cylindrical Oscillating Water Column (OWC) device for harvesting wave energy. The single-phase CFD model solves the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations using the finite element method for simulating the wave motion and uses an aerodynamic model to simulate the flow through the air turbine. The model is implemented to simulate wave energy harvesting of a cylindrical OWC device. Through harmonic decomposition, it is found that the first harmonic wave surface elevation oscillates like a piston in the OWC chamber. However, both the amplitude and phase of the second harmonic wave surface elevation vary significantly along the wave direction in the OWC chamber, demonstrating a sloshing mode of the second harmonic. This study further proved the reduction of the capture width ratio caused by the transverse sloshing mode when the wavelength is the same as the wave flume width. The effect of the width of the wave flume on the peak CWR is found to be negligibly small when the wave flume width is three times the OWC diameter.

A validated numerical methodology for flow-induced vibration of a semi-spherical end cantilever rod in axial flow

This study presents a simulation method for turbulent flow-induced vibrations of cantilever rods with a semi-spherical end exposed to axial flow, a configuration investigated for the first time. This simulation strategy has been developed using solids4Foam, a toolkit for the open-source package OpenFOAM, which uses the finite-volume approach. The fluid and solid domain equations are solved separately. Coupling is achieved with the Interface Quasi-Newton Inverse Least-Squares (IQN-ILS) algorithm. The mean flow is described by the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations. Turbulence is modeled through either the stress-transport model of Launder, Reece, and Rodi or the effective-viscosity k–ω shear stress transport model, both with the wall-function approach accounting for near-wall turbulence. The methodology is validated using experimental data produced during this study. The simulations show good agreement with the measured values of the oscillation amplitude and frequency for both flow directions (toward rod free-end and away from it). Turbulence model comparisons show that (a) Reynolds stress transport models are necessary to reproduce the vibration amplitude and (b) wall functions enable the simulations to be completed in realistic time scales. The significance to the fluid–solid-interaction (FSI) process of a so far overlooked (with the exception of a couple of recent studies) dimensionless number, the ratio of the flow dynamic pressure to the rod's Young's modulus of elasticity, is also explored. Simulations, which decouple the variation of this dimensionless number from that of the Reynolds number, demonstrate this number's strong effect on the vibration amplitude. This finding is important to the contact of further FSI studies and the scaling of FSI data.

Assimilating mean velocity fields of a shockwave–boundary layer interaction from background-oriented schlieren measurements using physics-informed neural networks

We propose a novel method to reconstruct mean velocity fields of turbulent shockwave–boundary layer interactions (SBLIs) from background-oriented schlieren (BOS) measurement data using physics-informed neural networks (PINNs). By embedding the compressible Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes equations into the PINN loss function, we recover a full set of physical variables from only the density gradient as training data. This technique has the potential to generate velocity fields similar to particle image velocimetry (PIV) results from usually simpler planar BOS measurements, at the cost of some computational resources. We analyze our method's capabilities on two oblique SBLI cases: a high-fidelity Mach 2.28 direct numerical simulation dataset for validation and a Mach 2.0 wind tunnel experiment. We demonstrate the positive impact of different wall boundary constraints such as the wall shear stress and pressure distribution for enhancing the PINN's convergence toward physically accurate solutions. The predicted fields are compared with experimental PIV and other point measurements, while we discuss the accuracy, limitations, and broader implications of our approach for SBLI research.

Effects of blowing ratio and film hole arrangement on cavity blade tip cooling

Blade tip leakage is responsible for reducing the aerodynamic performance and increasing the thermal load. In order to obtain better cooling efficiency, the thermodynamic performance of different film hole arrangements and blowing ratios have been compared and analyzed in a cavity tip structure. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equation simulations at five blowing ratios from 0.25 to 2.0 have been carried out for three stream-wise and four pitch-wise film hole arrangements. Based on the reference flow field of the cavity without any coolant, the mechanism of the cooling air influence is analyzed by investigating the flow structure and the vortex development in the tip region. It is found that in the stream-wise arrangements and pitch-wise arrangements, the scheme SW1, in which the film holes are arranged along the suction surface, and the scheme PW2, in which the air film holes are arranged at 0.2 times the axial position, provide the maximum average film cooling efficiency of 0.235 and 0.282, respectively. However, the effective cooling area of SW1 is greater than that of PW2, which are 39.2% and 41.3%, respectively. At the lower blowing ratios, the cooling efficiency increases with the increase in the blowing ratio; however, at the higher blowing ratios, the cooling effect is affected by the clearance size and cavity depth when the coolant impinges on the casing wall.

Wind characteristics around a skyway bridge of high-rise buildings

To respond the expansion of urban centers, the proliferation of high-rise buildings demands a better understanding of the aerodynamic phenomena around skyway bridges connecting these structures. This analysis, utilizing the advanced computational fluid dynamics verified by wind tunnel test data, investigates the wind characteristics around such bridges, crucial for structural stability, pedestrian comfort, and aerodynamic efficiency. This study focuses on the interactions between a 2 × 2 building array with a building height-to-street width ratio of 30 and a skyway bridge, investigating those factors such as bridge influence, building structures, building height, and bridge position. Using the three-dimensional steady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations along with the Reynolds stress model for turbulence closure, the results show that the presence of skyway bridge significantly modifies local wind patterns. Wind speed and turbulence intensity are impacted differently based on the bridge's upstream or downstream settings. Downstream bridges tend to reduce wind speeds due to the sheltering effects, while upstream placement of bridge can enhance wind flow, affecting both the structural design and pedestrian comfort. Additionally, building height variations adjacent to the bridge influence wind velocity and pressure profiles, with taller buildings intensifying wind speeds at lower levels because of the channeling effects. These insights are pivotal for optimizing the skyway bridge designs to improve airflow distribution, enhance environmental sustainability, and ease wind-caused disturbances, offering a guideline for future architectural and urban planning in high-rise districts.

Fuel-air ratio effect on hydrogen-methane flames in a high pressure burner for gas turbines

This numerical simulation studied the effect of H2-CH4 flame equivalence ratio on turbulent premixed combustion at 50%-50% concentration (by volume). The equivalence ratio was varied from 0.45 to 1.0 in 0.5 increments for 126 kW operating power, matching a 3.3 bar inlet reactant pressure. Tests utilized a gas turbine combustor. The thermal field, flow field, and pollutant emissions (NOx and CO) underwent rigorous analysis. The modelling framework applied steady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations coupled to a probability density function (PDF) approach for turbulence-chemistry interactions and a NOx formation model. Results showed increasing equivalence ratio from 0.45 to 1.0 elevated temperature approximately 900 K, significantly promoting NOx up to 1600 ppm and CO beyond 1900 ppm. However, equivalence ratio changes minimally impacted the overall flow field, maintaining stabilized flames. These findings provide new insight on thermochemical effects and flame stability in gas turbine (G.T) combustors across a range of equivalence ratios relevant for clean, high-pressure H2-CH4 combustion. The combined RANS-PDF methodology enables predictive simulation of turbulence, kinetics, emissions, and flame stability to guide optimal fuel-air ratio selection and low-emission combustor design.

Analysis of the Drag-Reduction Ability of the Layout and Cross-Sectional Shapes of Subsea Structures in the Critical Flow Mode

Introduction. Slender structures of subsea energy production systems are under constant influence of currents and waves. Hydrodynamic loads result from the interaction of subsea pipelines, umbilicals, equipment supports with fluid flows, and lead to the vortex formation in the area behind the structures. Vortex-induced forces are the sources of the cyclic loading. They accelerate gradually the fatigue damage, which may result in a failure. One of the ways to reduce the loads on subsea structures is to alter the shape of a cross-section, taking into account the flow regime. Dependence of the resulting hydrodynamic loads on the cross-sectional shape and relative position of structures has not been studied in details for the uniform flow in the critical mode. The current work is aimed at filling this gap. The research objective is to consider the impact of the distance between the structures, and also, the presence of a D-shaped structure, placed upstream relative to the group of three cylinders of different cross-sectional shapes.Materials and Methods. The computational fluid dynamics approach was used in this work for numerical simulations of vortex-induced forces in the ANSYS Fluent software for cylinder with D = 0.3 m. Modelling was conducted with the Detached Eddy Simulation (DES) method, which combined advantages of the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equation (RANS) method and the Large Eddy Simulation (LES) method. The object of the research was the system of four structures in the 2D computational domain, which included the upstream D-shaped cylinder and the main group of three cylinders with the circular, squared and diamond shapes of the cross-section. The transient process was considered, where structures were under the influence of the uniform flow in the critical regime at Re = 2.5×10⁵.Results. Five sets of data were obtained in simulations for the time-dependent coefficients of the lift and drag forces: for the main system — of the D-shaped, circular, square and diamond structures, and also for the four systems — of only D-shaped, only circular, only square and only diamond shaped structures. Additional analysis was conducted for the effect of the distance between the structures on the amplitude of fluctuating hydrodynamic force coefficients. The obtained results are presented as time histories of coefficients of the lift and drag forces, frequency analysis and contours of velocity, pressure and vorticity fields. The results indicate a positive effect of the upstream D-shaped structure on reducing the drag force, acting on the central structure in the group of three cylinders located downstream.Discussion and Conclusion. The results of the performed studies facilitate the informed decisions regarding the arrangement of subsea structures in a group of four objects, depending on the cross-sectional shape and the distance between the structures. The upstream D-shaped structure provides reducing the hydrodynamic drag force acting on the central structure in the downstream group of three structures, thereby slowing the fatigue accumulation and increasing the time of safe operation.

Numerical Modelling of the Hydrodynamic Performance of Biodegradable Drifting Fish Aggregating Devices in Currents

Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs) are essential supplementary structures used in tropical tuna purse-seine fishing. They are strategically placed to attract tuna species and enhance fishing productivity. The hydrodynamic performance of FADs has a direct effect on their structural and environmental safety in the harsh marine environment. Conventional FADs are composed of materials that do not break down naturally, leading to the accumulation of waste in the ocean and potential negative effects on marine ecosystems. Therefore, this work aimed to examine the hydrodynamic performance of biodegradable drifting FADs (Bio-DFADs) in oceanic currents by numerical modelling. The Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equation was used to solve the flow field and discretized based on the realizable k-ε turbulence model, employing the finite volume method. A set of Bio-DFADs was developed to assess the hydrodynamic performance under varying current velocities and attack angles, as well as different balsa wood diameters and sinker weights. The results indicated that the relative current velocity significantly affected the relative velocity of Bio-DFADs. The relative length of the raft significantly affected both the relative velocity and the relative wetted area in a pure stream. Finally, the diameter of the balsa wood affected the drift velocity, and the sinker’s relative weight affected the hydrodynamic performance of the Bio-DFADs.

Experimental and numerical analysis of wave forces on a vertical truncated cylinder with different depths of submergence under focused waves

Accurately determining the extreme wave forces acting on marine structures is crucial for ensuring their safety. This study investigates the maximum values and transfer functions of wave forces on a fixed vertical truncated cylinder under focused waves through experimental analysis and numerical simulations. Firstly, an experiment was conducted to examine the influence of the wave steepness kpAp, structural scale D/Lp and depth of submergence S2/d on both the horizontal and the vertical forces exerted on the cylinder. These factors were found to significantly influence the maximum values and transfer functions of the wave forces, particularly those of the vertical force during wave slamming events. To further understand the interactions between the focused waves and the vertical truncated cylinder, a numerical model based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations in OpenFOAM was employed considering different heights above the surface of static water S1/d and varying depths of submergence S2/d. The validity of this model was confirmed by comparing its results with those of the experiment. Following this, the effects of S1/d and S2/d on the maximum values as well as the transfer functions of wave forces on the cylinder were discussed, including in scenarios involving wave slamming and wave overtopping events. Finally, an empirical formula for calculating the wave force was proposed, taking into account the influence of kpAp, S1/d, and S2/d on the inertial coefficient CM and the coefficient of pressure correction CP. The results demonstrated that this formula can be used to accurately predict the maximum wave forces exerted on the cylinder.

Heat transfer enhancement on a concave surface using sweeping impinging jets: Comparison of vortex-based and conventional oscillators

While the impinging sweeping jet generated by a conventional fluidic oscillator has been extensively investigated for its remarkable convective heat transfer performance, the cooling performance of the recently designed vortex-based fluidic oscillator on impinged hot plates remains unexplored. This study numerically investigates the cooling performance of oscillatory jets generated by the vortex-based fluidic oscillator compared to the conventional fluidic oscillator and a steady non-oscillatory jet impinging on a hot concave surface. The Fluent 2023R2 software was employed for solving the unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with the k–ω SST model through the finite volume method. Numerical simulations were conducted at various dimensionless nozzle-to-surface distances (X/D = 2, 4, and 6) and Reynolds numbers (20,000, 30,000, and 40,000). The performances of both oscillators were assessed through the time-averaged velocity, temperature, and Nusselt number. The results demonstrated that the vortex-based fluidic oscillator, as an innovative type of fluidic oscillator, outperformed conventional fluidic oscillators by enhancing heat transfer and reducing pressure drop, attributed to its smaller size and higher operational frequency. At X/D values of 2, 4, and 6, the mean Nusselt number for the vortex-based oscillator exhibited respective increases of 19 %, 23 %, and 16 % compared to the conventional oscillator. In addition, these values were respectively 38 %, 34 %, and 24 % higher than those for the steady non-oscillatory jet. Furthermore, the thermal enhancement factor of the vortex-based oscillator demonstrated increases of 20 %, 23 %, and 21 %, respectively, in comparison with the conventional oscillator. These findings suggest that the novel vortex-based fluidic oscillator holds significant promise for replacing conventional oscillators in industrial cooling applications.

The application of a non-hydrostatic RANS model for simulating irregular wave breaking on a barred and sloping beach

In the current study, a non-hydrostatic two-dimensional vertical (2DV) numerical model with a shock-capturing technique is developed to simulate irregular wave breaking on a barred beach. The complete form of the 2DV Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) equations is discretized using the finite volume approach. In the spatial discretization phase, a flux limiter function is employed for the velocity advection terms to prevent non-physical oscillations in regions with steep gradients. A novel method has been introduced during the discretization stage, leading to a significant reduction in computational expenses. For temporal discretization, the Leapfrog method, known for its second-order accuracy in time, is employed to address wave-damping issues. Model validation involves a comparison between simulation results and experimental data pertaining to irregular wave breaking, affirming the satisfactory performance of the model. To evaluate the accuracy of the model, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was calculated. The assessment showed that the model is capable of estimating the significant wave height reported in the experiments used with an RMSE between 0.002 and 0.089, and the mean wave periods with an RMSE between 0.061 and 0.252.

RANS study of surface roughness effects on ship resistance

Abstract In marine engineering, optimizing the performance of vessels is a key issue, particularly in increasing fuel efficiency, reducing operating costs, and minimizing environmental impact. One of the most critical determinants of vessel efficiency is hull resistance, which directly affects fuel consumption, power requirements, and cruising speed. We aim to investigate how surface roughness affects hull flow resistance, to quantify the drag variation at different surface roughness levels using special wall functions that reproduce boundary layer dynamics. This approach involves the complex interaction between the intricate complexity of roughness and the nonlinear pressure drag effects on the hull. The KVLCC2 ship model is used as a representative prototype in the CFD analysis based on the RANS equations and the k-omega SST model to independently evaluate the roughness effects on individual ship sections. The comparative analysis with empirical data reveals the complex relationship between surface roughness and ship resistance and provides insights for ship design and operational improvement. The study investigates the interaction between drag coefficient and vessel performance to improve hydrodynamic efficiency.

The impact of wedge and wavy-wall combustor side walls on shock-induced mixing and combustion in a hydrogen-fuelled model scramjet combustor

The mixing and combustion processes are linked and challenging for a supersonic combustion engine. Supersonic air doesn't spend much time in the combustor, making it challenging to blend fuel with supersonic air. The expansion of shear-mixing layer with shock waves and their interactions are the primary characteristics of mixing augmentation. This paper investigates the same methodology for a model scramjet combustion chamber with wedge and wavy sides. The novel scramjet combustion models include wedge and way-wall sidewalls based on the basic scramjet model. By combining the finite volume approach with a second-order upwind discretization method, the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations are numerically analyzed. The interplay between wedge and wavy-wall effects and free stream flows is taken into consideration by using the shear stress transport (SST) k−ω turbulence model. The effect of the wedge and wavy wall combustor has been evaluated by analysing the shock production and their interactions with the mixing layer and internal flow structure. The turbulence characteristics are also examined to analyse the degree of flow disturbance for wedge and wavy-wall combustion. The wavy wall combustor model results in a 14.5% increase in turbulence intensity, which raises air-fuel mixing and there by improves mixing and combustion efficiency by 12.59% and 11.23%, compared to the base wedge type combustor.

Improvements for the DDES model with consideration of grid aspect ratio and coherent vortex structures

The delayed detached eddy simulation (DDES) model has achieved great success in simulations of massive separations, but has been found to significantly delay the Kelvin-Helmholtz (K-H) instability in weak separations due to the “grey area” problem. A new DDES model was proposed by considering the grid aspect ratio and local coherent vortex structures, named the DDES with an adaptive grid-scale and adaptive coefficient (DDES-AGAC). The DDES-AGAC model was examined in detail by computing four typical types of turbulent flows: fully attached turbulent boundary layer, massive separation, weakly unstable flow with a fixed separation point, and weak separation over a smooth surface due to pressure gradient. The results confirm the advantages of the new DDES-AGAC model over the standard DDES. It exhibits high efficiency and insensitivity to spanwise or circumferential grid spacing in flow simulations of quasi-three-dimensional flows. For the weakly unsteady separation, it helps to accelerate the rapid switch from Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations to large eddy simulation, unlock the K-H instability in the shear layer, and hence accurately resolve the turbulent structures, profiles of velocity and turbulent kinetic energy, and spectra in the separation regions. Furthermore, it does not result in a noticeable drag or skin friction reduction in the fully attached flow simulations. The DDES-AGAC model is expected to be widely used in simulations of engineering flows with separations.

The influence of twin-hydro-skis’ parameters on its load-carrying performance

ABSTRACT This study conducts a series of numerical simulations of the twin-hydro-skis proposed by the NACA Laboratory. Using RANS equations and the SST k - ω turbulence model with FVM, along with VOF for free surface tracking and overset mesh for water landing dynamics, the study examines how the beam-loading coefficient, aspect ratio, deadrise angle, and installation position influence the performance of the twin-hydro-skis. The findings reveal that the hydro-skis reduce the load by converting a single water touch into two touches. The optimal beam-loading coefficient is found to range from 20 to 60, the aspect ratio should ideally be between 1 and 3, and the deadrise angle of the twin-hydro-skis should be kept within the range of 0° to 4.5°. It is recommended to install the hydro-skis within the range of 0–0.03 times the length of the aircraft around the center of gravity.

Transient cold-front-water through y-shaped aluminium ducts: nature of turbulence, non-equilibrium thermodynamics, and velocity at the converged and diverged outlets

Abstract The interaction between water motion efficiency, outlet control mechanisms, and energy dynamics management hinges significantly on turbulence characteristics. However, understanding the influence of input velocities and duct features on outlets remains elusive. This study employs the realizable k − ɛ viscous model and Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations (RANS equations) to explore transient water dynamics encountering a cold front through ducts leading to convergence or divergence. Using Ansys Fluent 2023R2 and the waterlight workflow, meticulous meshing of the ducts is executed to capture flow intricacies accurately. Grid independence, suitable boundary conditions, and solver settings are carefully considered to ensure reliable results for investigating four key research questions. Duct bending introduces non-uniformities in velocity distribution, impacting exit velocity and altering flow characteristics and turbulence. In Case III, centrifugal forces from a 90° bend result in higher outlet velocities at the convergent exit and secondary flow patterns like swirls and vortexes. Additionally, entrance velocities influence Reynolds numbers, affecting mixing, heat transfer coefficients, and flow regimes, thereby optimizing thermal conductivity. This comprehensive investigation sheds light on optimizing water dynamics and energy management across various duct configurations, offering valuable insights into efficient flow control and thermal performance enhancement.