Numerical Investigation of Flow and Heat Transfer Characteristics of Two Tandem Circular Cylinders of Different Diameters

Unsteady laminar flow and heat transfer characteristics from a downstream cylinder of two tandem circular cylinders of different in diameters are numerically investigated. The working fluid is air, and the downstream cylinder is isothermal while the upstream cylinder is kept adiabatic. Two-dimensional numerical simulations are carried out for Reynolds numbers of 100 and 200. The ratio of the upstream to downstream cylinder diameters (diameter ratio) and the ratio of the gap distance to the downstream cylinder diameter (gap ratio) are considered in the range of 0.3 to 2 and 0.5 to 4, respectively. Numerical solutions are obtained using the FLUENT (R) software. The flow parameters such as the rms lift/drag coefficients and Strouhal numbers are computed and analyzed for the diameter ratio and gap ratio intervals investigated. The iso-vorticity lines and isotherms are also generated to understand, identify and analyze the flow and heat transport characteristics. Four basic flow structures are observed and classified as (i) over-shoot, (ii) symmetric-reattachment, (iii) front-side reattachment and (iv) co-shedding flow. The critical spacing, which marks the minimum gap spacing for the vortex formation to begin, depends on the diameter ratio and Reynolds number, and it decreases with increasing Reynolds number. The convective heat transfer phenomenon is observed to be strongly influenced by diameter ratio, gap ratio and Reynolds number. The mean and the local Nusselt number along the perimeter of isothermal cylinder are computed and discussed in connection with the flow characteristics.