Two-dimensional laminar fluid flow and heat transfer in a channel with a built-in heated square cylinder

A numerical investigation was conducted to analyze the unsteady flow field and heat transfer characteristics in a horizontal channel with a built-in heated square cylinder. Hydrodynamic behavior and heat transfer results are obtained by the solution of the complete Navier-Stokes and energy equations using a control volume finite element method (CVFEM) adapted to the staggered grid. The Computation was made for two channel blockage ratios (beta = 1/4 and 1/8), different Reynolds and Richardson numbers ranging from 62 to 200 and from 0 to 0.1 respectively at Pr = 0.71. The flow is found to be unstable when the Richardson number crosses the critical value of 0.13. The results are presented to show the effects of the blockage ratio, the Reynolds and the Richardson numbers on the flow pattern and the heat transfer from the square cylinder. Heat transfer correlation are obtained through forced and mixed convection. (C) 2003 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.