Numerical Heat Transfer in a Rectangular Channel with Mounted Obstacle

Abstract

The fully-incompressible, viscous and stationary Navier–Stokes equations are solved for the laminar flow over an obstacle placed on the lower of a channel. The Reynolds number is varied from 100 to 400. In all cases studied the flow field proves to be steady. Several distinct flow features are identified: a horseshoe vortex system, inward bending flow at the side walls of the obstacle, a horizontal vortex at the downstream lower-half of the obstacle and a downstream wake containing two counter-rotating vortices. The shape and size of these flow features are mainly dominated by the Reynolds number. For higher Reynolds numbers, both the horseshoe vortex and the wake region extend over a significantly larger area. The correlation of the position of the separation and attachment point with the Reynolds number has been calculated. A detailed analysis is carried out to investigate flow pattern and Nusselt number.