RANS predictions of turbulent non-isothermal viscoplastic fluid in pipe with sudden expansion

A transition of Newtonian turbulent fluid to viscoplastic non-Newtonian fluid by cooling in a pipe with a sudden expansion is numerically studied. A recirculation region with negative velocities appears for fluid velocity profiles corresponding to the zone of flow recirculation. A small corner eddy disappears for a non-Newtonian fluid. Significant anisotropy between axial and radial components of Reynolds stresses is numerically shown. The heat transfer distributions along the pipe surface for turbulent non- and Newtonian fluids are qualitatively similar. The peak of heat transfer is shifted upstream in the Schwedoff-Bingham fluid in comparison with the Newtonian one. Authors’ numerical predictions are compared with numerical simulations by other authors for turbulent Schwedoff-Bingham fluids.