Unsteady flow and heat transfer characteristics over the rounded and square leading-edge plate

Abstract

The influences of the shape of the leading edge of the upstream plate on the transition region from steady laminar flow to unsteady flow, as well as the heat transfer from these leading edges, were numerically studied. The calculations were performed using the finite volume method in two-dimensional domains in a low Reynolds number regime with a constant incoming flow. The results show that von Kármán vortex shedding patterns start behind the rounded upstream plate at a low Reynolds number of 114. When the leading edge of the upstream plate is square, the plate experiences flow separation and the flow become unsteady at higher Reynolds numbers of around 400. The mean Nusselt number of the upstream plate increases by approximately 179% and 213% for square and rounded leading edges, respectively, for Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 700.