Flow through Staggered Tube Bundle

The case is a nominally two-dimensional isothermal flow through a staggered tube bundle array.

The experimental test section consists of 7 horizontal, staggered rows of rods, as shown in figure 1, across which water flows at an average velocity of 1.06 m/s. With this value, and a tube diameter of 21.7 mm, the Reynolds number (based on that diameter) is 18000. LDA measurements, taken across the spanwise centre plane, indicate that the flow becomes periodic around the fourth row from the bottom.

Fig. 1: Tube bundle geometry and experimental configuration

On the assumption that the flow is fully periodic and steady, the computational domain may be reduced to the passage shown in figure 2 below, with suitable periodic conditions applied in the spanwise and streamwise directions.

Fig. 2: Geometry for a single periodic flow passage

Data is available in the form of profiles of mean velocities $U$ and $V$ and Reynolds stresses $\overline{u^2}$, $\overline{v^2}$, $\overline{uv}$, along the lines $x=0$, $11$ and $16.5$ mm and $y=0$ and $22.5$ mm.

• Bulk inlet velocity, upstream of the tubes: $V_o = 1.06$ m/s
• Tube diameter : 21.7 mm
• Working fluid: Water
• Reynolds number (based on $V_o$ and tube diamater): 18000

Measurements of the velocities were obtained using LDA. Most data were obtained in a subdomain surrounding a tube in the fifth row, where the flow appeared to have reached a periodic state.

Profiles of $U$, $V$, $\overline{u^2}$, $\overline{v^2}$, and $\overline{uv}$ are available along three horizontal lines ($x=0$, $11$ and $16.5$ mm) and 2 vertical lines ($y=0$ and $22.5$ mm).

Sample plots of selected quantities are available.

Compressed archives of the files can be downloaded from the links below, or files can be retrieved individually from the table.

• sttb-allfiles.zip
• sttb-allfiles.tar.gz

The flow formed one of the testcases studied in the 2nd ERCOFTAC/IAHR Workshop on Refined Flow Modelling, held at UMIST, Manchester, UK in June 1993.

1. Simonin, O., Barcouda, M. (1986), Measurements of fully developed turbulent flow across tube bundle. Proc. 3eme Conference Internationale sur les Applications de l'Anemometrie Laser a la Mecanique des Fluides.
2. Simonin, O., Barcouda, M. (1988), Measurements and prediction of turbulent flow entering a staggered tube bundle. Proc. 4eme Conference Internationale sur les Applications de l'Anemometrie Laser a la Mecanique des Fluides.
3. Rollet-Miet, P., Laurence, D., Ferziger, J. (1999), LES and RANS of turbulent flow in tube bundles. Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, Vol. 22, pp. 241-254.

Indexed data: