CFD analysis of turbulent cross-flow in a staggered tube bundle equipped with grooved cylinders

Abstract

This study describes the Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) analysis of the turbulent cross-flow in a staggered tube bundle with transverse and longitudinal pitch-to-diameter ratio of 3.8 and 2.1 respectively. Two Longitudinal grooves are placed on the external surface at 90° and 270° degrees. Each cylinder has two grooves on the external surface of the cylinder. The Navier-Stokes equations of the turbulent flow are solved using Spalart almaras, k-ε realizable and k-ω SST, turbulence models provided by Fluent CFD code. The staggered tube bundle geometry simulations were performed at steady conditions. An adapted grid using static pressure, pressure coefficient and velocity gradient, furthermore, a second order upwind scheme were used. The CFD results were in agreement with the experimental data. The study demonstrates the capability of the CFD calculations in predicting flow characteristics around the bundle