Numeric and experimental analysis of the turbulent flow through a channel with baffle plates

Abstract

The present work presents the numeric and experimental analysis of the turbulent flow of air inside a channel of rectangular section, containing two rectangular baffle plates. This is an important problem in the scope of heat exchangers where the characterization of the flow, pressure distribution, as well as the existence and the extension of possible recirculations need to be identified. The differential equations that describe the flow were integrated by the Finite Volumes Method, in two dimensions, employing the Fluent software with the k-ε model to describe the turbulence. The mesh is structured, with rectangular volumes. Several boundary conditions were explored, being the more realistic results obtained by prescribing the inlet velocity field and atmospheric pressure at the exit. The obtained results are compared with experimental data, being analyzed and commented the deviations. The velocity field was measured with a hot wire anemometer, and the pressure field with an electronic manometer. The largest variations in the pressure and velocity fields occur in the regions near to the deflectors, as expected.