The effect of Stefan flow on Nusselt number and drag coefficient of spherical particles in non-isothermal gas flow

Abstract

A Stefan flow can be generated during a phase change or reactions of a particle immersed in a fluid. This study investigates the effect of Stefan flow on the exchange of momentum (drag coefficient (CD)) and heat transfer (Nusselt number (Nu)) between the particle and bulk-fluid. Fully resolved simulations were carried out for a flow near a spherical particle immersed in a uniform bulk flow. The immersed boundary method is used for implementing fluid-solid interactions and the particle is considered as a static boundary with fixed boundary conditions. In a non-isothermal flow, the changes in thermophysical properties at the boundary layer played a role in the variation of CD and Nu by a Stefan flow further. The previously developed model for the drag coefficient of a spherical particle in a uniform isothermal flow was modified for a uniform non-isothermal flow. The model is developed based on physical interpretation. A new model is developed for the Nusselt number for a spherical particle with a uniform Stefan flow combining available models in literature. The models are validated for Stefan Reynolds number −8⩽Resf,p⩽25 and particle Reynolds number of 2⩽Ref⩽30 in gas flow (i.e. Pr≈0.7). © 2021 The Author(s)