PHYSICS OF FLUIDS 30, 063603 (2018)

Effect of thermal buoyancy on a fluid flowing past a pair of side-by-side

square bluff-bodies in a low-Reynolds number flow regime
Aniruddha Sanyal and Amit Dhimana)
Department of Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, Roorkee 247667,
Uttarakhand, India
(Received 12 February 2018; accepted 2 June 2018; published online 25 June 2018)

In this research article, we have analyzed the effect of thermal stratification of shear layers due to
mixed convection heat transfer past a pair of side-by-side square cylinders in a confined domain, an
extended part of our recent study [A. Sanyal and A. Dhiman, “Wake interactions in a fluid flow past
a pair of side-by-side square cylinders in presence of mixed convection,” Phys. Fluids 29, 103602
(2017)]. Investigations from the studies of instantaneous and time-averaged isotherms revealed the
actual stretches of the temperature gradient in streamwise and transverse extents at Re = 1–40,
Ri = 0–1, s/d = 0.7–10, and Pr = 50. The effects of “baroclinic production,” embedded in the transport
of vorticity, were rigorously analyzed through the determination of local period-averaged vorticity
flux at a certain cross section in the near-field downstream. The study also revealed the underlying flow
physics pertaining to the variations in period-averaged wall vorticity and the local Nusselt number.
The transport of vorticity has been explained in terms of the vortex structure formulations, and because
of the absence of any such similar studies for multiple bluff-body arrangements, the study has been
thoroughly correlated from the cases of single bluff-body flow. In an attempt to control several flow
regimes by slightly changing the flow and thermal parameters, it is found that chaotic flow cannot exist
beyond a certain value of s/d. However, an abnormality was noted in terms of the flow bifurcations
at s/d = 1.5 at the juncture of flow transition from unseparated to a separated steady flow for the first
time and this is solely attributed to the effect of thermal buoyancy in the flow field. Published by AIP
Publishing. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5025652

I. INTRODUCTION unlike its circular counterpart, has a fixed separation point and
such shape can be easily represented in a Cartesian coordinate
The study of flow and heat transfer past a multiple bluff-
system. Moreover, due to the enhanced drag effects as com-
body arrangement has been of profound significance owing
pared to a bluff-body on any other shape,10 the square cylinder
to enormously high set of applications perceived in the fields
or a side-by-side square cylinder arrangement (simplest case of
of electronic cooling equipment (e.g., pin-fin heat exchang-
a multiple bluff-body arrangements) finds prominence in vari-
ers), fluid-structure interactions (e.g., off-shore structure load-
ous fields of engineering applications (as discussed in detail in
ing), solar heating equipment (e.g., heating of liquids passing
one of our earlier research studies1 ). A bluff-body, acting as a
through a cylinder), and process engineering equipment (e.g.,
heat generating source in the fluid flow, imparts vortex-induced
plate-type heat exchanger). Often a substantial insight into
vibrations12 in the near-field downstream of a horizontally
the physical and the thermal aspects of the aforementioned
confined domain. When the inertial parameters are suitably
studies is required in order to develop an improved indus-
controlled, the perturbations tend to get disseminated in the
trial design for profitable economics. The initial set of studies
form of coherent vortex-structures in the far-field downstream
was focused mainly on deciphering the flow phenomena by
(which is well known as “vortex shedding”). The experimental
the use of wind-tunnel or water tank experiments coupled
studies in a low-Reynolds number (Re) number flow regime
with analysis using flow-visualization techniques and mea-
are less due to various problems encountered during the exper-
surements using hot-wire anemometry, schlieren techniques,
imental procedures, as reported by Williamson.9 A handful of
etc. A detail of all such prevalent experimental studies related
experimental studies for the flow past a square cylinder in a
to multiple bluff-body arrangements was thoroughly summa-
low-Re number laminar flow regime are reported in the lit-
rized by Zdravkovich2 and Sumner.3 A circular cylinder being
erature13–15 where we can hardly decipher much about the
the simplest form of bluff-body (in terms of symmetric shape
physical insights of the fluid flow process. Contributions are
and absence of any sharp corners or edges in the body) was
made in bulk to explain the physical phenomena associated
chosen for such studies by several initial researchers.4–10 How-
with the fluid flow process through numerical studies for wake
ever, over the time span, it was realized that a square cylinder,
interactions past a side-by-side square cylinder arrangement
for a mixed convection flow.1 The presence of thermal gradi-
a) Author
ent in the domain generates thermally stratified shear layers
to whom correspondence should be addressed: amitdfch@iitr.ac.in
and dhimuamit@rediffmail.com. Tel.: +91-1332-285890 (office), +91- through creation of fluid layers having variable densities with
9410329605 (mobile). the lighter (warmer) fluid layers lying over the heavier (cooler)

1070-6631/2018/30(6)/063603/33/$30.00 30, 063603-1 Published by AIP Publishing.