Heat Transfer in Highly Turbulent Separated Flows: A Review

The study of flows with a high degree of turbulence in boundary layers, near-wall jets, gas curtains, separated flows behind various obstacles, as well as during combustion is of great importance for increasing energy efficiency of the flow around various elements in the ducts of gas-dynamic installations. This paper gives some general characteristics of experimental work on the study of friction and heat transfer on a smooth surface, in near-wall jets, and gas curtains under conditions of increased free-stream turbulence. Taking into account the significant effect of high external turbulence on dynamics and heat transfer of separated flows, a similar effect on the flow behind various obstacles is analyzed. First of all, the classical cases of flow separation behind a single backward-facing step and a rib are considered. Then, more complex cases of the flow around a rib oriented at different angles to the flow are analyzed, as well as a system of ribs and a transverse trench with straight and inclined walls in a turbulent flow around them. The features of separated flow in a turbulized stream around a cylinder, leading to an increase in the width of the vortex wake, frequency of vortex separation, and increase in the average heat transfer coefficient are analyzed. The experimental results of the author are compared with data of other researchers. The structure of separated flow at high turbulence—characteristic dimensions of the separation region, parameters of the mixing layer, and pressure distribution—are compared with the conditions of low-turbulent flow. Much attention is paid to thermal characteristics: temperature profiles across the shear layer, temperature distributions over the surface, and local and average heat transfer coefficients. It is shown that external turbulence has a much stronger effect on the separated flow than on the boundary layer on a flat surface. For separated flows, its intensifying effect on heat transfer is more pronounced behind a rib than behind a step. The factor of heat transfer intensification by external turbulence is most pronounced in the transverse cavity and in the system of ribs.