Momentum and Heat Transfer from a Semi-Circular Cylinder to Power-Law Fluids in the Vortex Shedding Regime

Abstract

Flow and heat transfer from a semi-circular cylinder to power-law fluids has been studied in the laminar vortex shedding regime for the range of conditions as follows: Reynolds number, 40 ≤ Re ≤ 140; Prandtl number, 0.7 ≤ Pr ≤ 50; and power-law index, 0.2 ≤ n ≤ 1.8. Extensive results are presented in terms of the streamline, vorticity and isotherm profiles, drag and lift coefficients, Strouhal number, and Nusselt number. The influence of Reynolds number, Prandtl number, and power-law index are seen to be more prominent in shear-thinning fluids (n < 1) than that in shear-thickening (n > 1) fluids. The shear-thinning fluid behavior enhances the rate of heat transfer, whereas shear-thickening fluid behavior impedes it.