Effects of Free Stream Velocity on Turbulent Natural Convection Flow Over a Vertical Forward-Facing Step

Measurements of heat transfer and fluid flow of turbulent boundary-layer air flow in natural and mixed convection over an isothermal two-dimensional, vertical forward-facing step are reported. The upstream and downstream walls and the step itself were heated to a uniform and constant temperature. Air velocity and temperature distributions and their turbulent fluctuations are measured simultaneously using a two-component laser-Doppler velocimeter (LDV) and a cold wire anemometer, respectively. The present study treats buoyancy-dominated mixed convection over a vertical forward-facing step and examines the effect of a small free stream velocity on turbulent natural convection. The experiment was carried out for a step height of 22 mm, for a range of free stream air velocities 0 m/s \u26leg; u ∞ \u26leg; 0.55 m/s (corresponding to a range of Reynolds numbers of 0 \u26leg; Re\abinf{s} \u26leg; 712), and a temperature difference, ΔT, of 30°C between the heated walls and the free stream air (corresponding to a local Grashof number Gr xi = 6.45 × 10 10 ). It was found that the reattachment length increases while the heat transfer rate from the downstream heated wall decreases as the small free stream velocity increases