Investigation of Flow Dynamics Over Transitional-Type Microcavity

Abstract

Flow over a transitional-type cavity in microchannels is studied using a microparticle image velocimetry system (μPIV) and commercially available computational fluid dynamics (CFD) software in laminar, transitional, and turbulent flow regimes. According to experimental results, in the transitional-type cavity (L/h1 = 10) and under laminar flow in the channel, the recirculation zone behind the backward-facing step stretches linearly with ReDh until the reattachment point reaches the middle of the cavity at xr/L = (0.5 to 0.6). With further increase in ReDh, the forward-facing step lifts the reattaching flow from the bottom of the cavity and stagnant recirculation flow fills the entire space of the cavity. Flow reattachment to the bottom of the cavity is again observed only after transition to the turbulent flow regime in the channel. Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations and large eddy simulation (LES) results revealed changes in vortex topology, with the flow regime changing from laminar to turbulent. During the turbulent flow regime in the recirculation zone, periodically recurring vortex systems are formed. Experimental and computational results have a good qualitative agreement regarding the changes in the flow topology. However, the results of numerical simulations based on RANS equations and the Reynolds-stress-baseline turbulence model (RSM-BSL), show that computed reattachment length values overestimate the experimentally obtained values. The RSM-BSL model underestimates the turbulent kinetic energy intensity, generated by flow separation phenomena, on the stage of transitional flow regime.