Numerical modelling of reverse flow phenomena in a channel with obstruction geometry at the entry

Numerical modelling and simulation of the reverse flow phenomenon in a channel with obstruction geometry at the entry were performed using CFD-ACE+ simulation solver. Obstruction geometries used for simulation were triangle, circle, semicircle and flat plate. Simulations were performed for different gap to width ratio, for different gap between the test channel and obstruction geometry, and for different Reynolds number. The simulated results are discussed and compared with flow visualization images. Simulations results predicted the occurrence of reverse flow and existence of other flow features such as vortex shedding at both ends. The numerically predicted results of the flow phenomena are generally in good agreement with the experimentally observed flow visualization images.