Comparison of the Numerical and Experimental Flowfield Downstream of a Plate Array

The findings of a numerical solution of the flowfield downstream of a six-plate array are compared to a previous experimental study. In both studies, the chord-to-thickness ratio, $c/t,$ is 6.67, the Reynolds number, Re, is 500, and the spacing-to-thickness ratio, $H/t,$ is 3.67. Consistent with experimental results, the numerical simulation shows that the recirculation zones formed at the trailing edges of the surfaces that form channels in the plate array are in-phase. Also consistent, they are nearly 180 deg out-of-phase with the recirculation zones formed at the trailing edges of the surfaces of adjacent channels. Comparison of the locations of recirculation zones and peaks in the downstream variation in axial velocity confirms that “vortex pumping” is described by 1) the axial velocity increase on the midplane of the channel in the region where the separation between pairs of recirculation zones is a minimum and 2) the axial velocity decrease in the region where the separation between pairs of recirculation zones is a maximum.