Due to remarkable applications of the curved ducts in engineering fields, scientists have paid much attention to invent new characteristics of curved-duct flow in mechanical systems. In the ongoing study, a computational modeling of fluid flow and energy distribution through a curved rectangular duct of large aspect ratio is presented. Governing equations are enumerated by using a spectral-based numerical technique together with the function expansion and collocation method. The main purpose of the paper is to analyze the effect of centrifugal force in the flow transition as well as heat transfer in the fluid. The investigations are performed for the aspect ratio, Ar = 4; the curvature ratio, $$\delta = 0.5$$
δ
=
0.5
; the Grashof number, $${\text{Gr}} = 1000$$
Gr
=
1000
; and varying the Dean number, $$0 < {\text{Dn}} \le 1000.$$
0
<
Dn
≤
1000
.
It is found that various types of flow regimes including steady-state and irregular oscillations occur as Dn is increased. To well understand the characteristics of the flow phase spaces and power spectrum of the solutions are performed. Next, pattern variations of axial and secondary flow velocity with isotherms are illustrated for different Dn’s. It is revealed that the flow velocity and the isotherms are significantly influenced by the duct curvature and the aspect ratio. Convective heat transfer and temperature gradients are calculated which explores that the fluids are diversified due to centrifugal instability, and as a consequence the overall heat transfer is enhanced significantly in the curved duct.
Fluid flow analysis through a bend pipe is extensively conducted in practical and cell separation operations. It is observed that flow behaviors in the bend pipe are influenced by some parameters such as curvature, aspect ratio, etc. As a result, various phenomena, steady solution branches, unsteady solutions, energy transfer are changed. In this paper, the acts of flows are performed together for fixed curvature, δ = 0.2, and Prandtl number, Pr = 7.0 (water). Here, for a wide variety of Dean numbers (100 ≤ Dn ≤ 1000) and three fixed Grashof numbers, Gr = 100, 500, and 1000; time-independent solutions with linear stabilities are investigated first where only the first steady branch exhibits linear stability out of two steady solution branches obtained. Then, different flow transitions between the required range of Dean numbers (Dn) and several Grashof numbers (Gr) are investigated using time-dependent solutions. Power spectrum density (PSD) is further revealed in order to gain a deeper understanding of periodic and multi-periodic flows. Flow velocity contours including axial flow (AF) and secondary flow (SF) and their temperature profiles (TP) are also exposed. The SFs reveal that two- to four-vortex flows are produced due to the turning of steady branch and the flow instabilities. Furthermore, the energy transfer between the cooled and heated sidewalls of the pipe is calculated. Finally, a link between centrifugal and body force with the energy transfer has been shown in this research which reveals that the fluid has merged that certainly rises the overall energy transfer.
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