Effects of a turbulent wall jet on heat transfer over a non-confined backward-facing step

Experimental and numerical analysis of a turbulent wall jet on the heat transfer downstream of a non-confined backward-facing step are presented. Several configurations are studied to analyse the influence of the upstream flow and the height of the step. An infrared camera and a hot wire were used to visualize a temperature map and measure the instantaneous velocity, respectively. The main objective was to visualize and compare both the fluid flow and the heat transfer, by studying the skin friction coefficient c(f) and the Nusselt number Nu(d), respectively. The latter is obtained by the calculation of the heat transfer coefficient, evaluated by inverse method. Both experimental data and numerical approach provide good agreement regarding the flow structure and thermal data for measuring the position and the value of characteristics scales in the recirculation zone. A correlation between the maximum heat transfer Nu(max) and the maximum Reynolds number Re-max is presented. Similarities and differences are highlighted in the paper compared to confined configurations. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.