Experimental and numerical study of free convection heat transfer around the junction of circular cylinder and heated vertical plate

The present study investigates the effects of a circular cylinder on the three-dimensional characteristics of free convective heat transfer. The circular cylinder is mounted horizontally on a heated vertical plate and is categorized as high aspect ratio obstacle, which means the height of cylinder is comparable to its diameter. The obtained results are provided for the laminar flow regime. In addition, during numerical study the governing differential equations are solved around the Grashof number equals to $3\times10^8$. In order to illustrated the regions of high gradients of temperature, the flow temperature is shown in terms of non-dimensional contours and diagrams. At the near junction region in upstream of cylinder, by description of heat transfer coefficients represented to the temperature gradients at intended points, the effects of cylinder emplacement on the heat transfer rate is surveyed. As expected, the value of the buoyancy-induced heat transfer coefficient increases at the cylinder junction in the upstream side. The maximum value of heat transfer coefficient is seen at the symmetry plane of study domain, which is corresponded to the location of horseshoe vortex system core. Finally, by deviation calculating between numerical and experimental results also by analysis of the experimental method uncertainty the validity and reliability of numerical and experimental approaches are proved.