Flow over and forced convection heat transfer around a semi-circular cylinder at incidence

Wake dynamics and forced convective heat transfer characteristics past a semi-circular cylinder at incidence have been investigated numerically. Utilizing air as an operating fluid computations are carried out for wide ranges of the Reynolds number (80 <= Re <= 180) and angle of incidences (0 <= alpha <= 180 degrees). Angle of incidence reveals three flow separation zones. Structure properties of shear layer and vortex motions on each flow separation zones are analyzed critically. Functional dependence of drag (C-D), lift (C-L), and moment (C-M) coefficients on the angle of incidence is explored and analyzed in detail. Increase in angle of incidence increases streamline curvature. A structural similarity is observed between the contours of vorticity and the corresponding isotherms. Strouhal number shows a decreasing trend up to certain values of alpha and thereafter it increases marginally. A new correlation of Strouhal number as a function of Re and alpha has been established for the present range of Reynolds numbers. At the singularity points a sudden jump in local Nusselt number distribution is observed. The trend of variation of average Nusselt number with alpha is similar to that of Strouhal number variation. The average Nusselt number is found to vary as Re-0.529(1 + alpha)(-0.0476). (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.