Geometrical investigation of bluff bodies array subjected to forced convective flows for different aspect ratios of frontal body

The present computational study comprises the geometrical investigation using the Constructal Design of a triangular array of bluff bodies subjected to incompressible, transient, and forced convective flows in a two-dimensional domain. It is considered a Reynolds and Prandtl numbers of Re-D = 100 and Pr = 0.71. The body areas and the maximum occupation area of the array are the problem constraints. The problem has three degrees of freedom (DOF): S-T/D, S-L/D (ratios between transverse and longitudinal pitch over characteristic dimension D, respectively), and H-1/L-1 (height and length ratio of the upstream body of the arrangement). The objectives are to minimize the drag coefficient ((C-D) over bar) and maximization of heat transfer rate per unit length ((q) over bar') of the arrangement. Conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy are solved with the Finite Volume Method (FVM). Results indicated a significant gain in the fluid dynamic and thermal performances of 68.85% and 100.34%, respectively when the best and worst shapes are compared. Moreover, variations of the ratio H-1/L-1 strongly affected the behavior of (C-D) over bar and (q) over bar' as a function of S-T/D and S-L/D and optimal designs. Thermal streams with complex vortex structures distributed in tree-shaped patterns led to the highest heat transfer rate magnitudes.

Automated summary

The computational study investigated the geometrical characteristics of a triangular array of bluff bodies subjected to incompressible, transient, and forced convective flows. Results showed significant improvements in fluid dynamics and thermal performance when comparing the best and worst shapes.