Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

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Heat transfer characteristics of flame jet impingement with methane air

reaction environment
A. Agarwal a,⇑, M.T. Letsatsi b
a
Department of Mechanical Engineering, FET, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
b
Department of Industrial Design & Technology, FET, University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: The high heat transfer rate achieved in flame impingement technique makes it suitable for various indus-
Received 26 July 2020 trial heating operations which demands rapid heating. The geometric parameters of flame jet impinge-
Received in revised form 19 September ment has significant effect on heat transfer rate. One of these parameters is h/d (h is distance between
2020
flame emission nozzle and base plate while d is diameter of nozzle) which has significant effect on heat
Accepted 23 September 2020
Available online xxxx
transfer rate. The current research investigates the effect of this geometric parameter i.e., h/d using tech-
niques of Computational Fluid Dynamics. The CAD model of flame jet computational domain of different
h/d ratio (1.2, 1.6, 2, and 2.4) is developed in Creo design software and CFD analysis is conducted using
Keywords:
Flame jet impingement
ANSYS CFX software package. Eddy dissipation model is used for combustion modelling and RNG k-
CFD epsilon model is used for turbulence. The temperature plot and heat flux plot generated from analysis
Heat transfer predicted heat transfer rate at stagnation point.
Eddy dissipation model Ó 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Turbulence This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-
nc-nd/4.0) Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the scientific committee of ICAMMM 2020.

1. Introduction development of non-uniform radial velocity profile. This velocity

Most of the industrial applications requires heating or cooling
operation with higher heat transfer rate which reduces processing
time [1]. The jet impingement technique is one of the well-known
methods which is used for rapid heating or cooling purpose. By
impinging hot flame jets (one or more) on the object, turbulent
forced heat transfer rate increases and thereby makes it possible
to reduce exposure time. The heat transfer rate, mass flow rate of
impinging jet can be varied by altering parameters like Reynolds
number of jet (or jet array), nozzle geometry and usage of ribbed
surface along with pulsating flows. The regions can be divided into
potential core region, developing region, fully developed region.
In the core region, the jet has shear driven interaction with
surroundings with entrainment of mass, momentum and energy.
Due to mixing of surrounding fluid some loss of jet velocity also
takes place with increase in mass flow rate. The velocity profile
expands in spatial direction (developing region) resulting in
⇑ Corresponding author.
E-mail address: agarwala@ub.ac.bw (A. Agarwal).
profile is developed within jet as shown in fully developed region.
The flow pattern of emerging jet from nozzle is shown in Fig. 1.
Koopman and Sparrow [3] conducted experimental testing of
row of circular jets on flat plate. The optimization parameters com-
prised of spacing between jets, distance of plate from jet. The max-
imum heat transfer characteristics was observed at center location
between adjacent jets.
Tu and Wood [4] investigated turbulent flow flame impinge-
ment on flat plate to determine static pressure and shear stress dis-
tribution. The findings have shown that distance between nozzle
and plate affected shear stress.
Maurel and Solliec [5] conducted experimental investigation on
flame jet impingement using LDV with varying geometry for turbu-
lence intensity ranging between 1.6% and 2.8%. The findings has
shown that height of core region was 12.5% of total height. O’Dono-
van and Murray [6] conducted experimental investigation of flame
jet impingement with different ratios of nozzle diameter and dis-
tance (between nozzle and plate). The findings have shown that
zone of high fluid velocity and high turbulence has higher heat
transfer rate.

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.635
2214-7853/Ó 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0) Selection and peer-review under responsibility of the
scientific committee of ICAMMM 2020.

Please cite this article as: A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi, Heat transfer characteristics of flame jet impingement with methane air reaction environment,
Materials Today: Proceedings, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.09.635
A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 3. CAD model of flame impingement with h/d: 1.6.

Fig. 1. Various regions of a jet impingement flow [2]

Further O’Donovan and Murray [7] investigated effect of turbu-

lence, vortex generation on heat transfer characteristics of flame
jet. The findings have shown that disintegration of strong vortex
enhanced heat transfer characteristics.
Fig. 4. CAD model of flame impingement with h/d: 2.
Caggese, Gabriel and Hannema [8] conducted CFD analysis of
flame jet impingement for jet to target distance of 0.5 to 1.5 jet
diameter. The numerical results and experimental results are in
close agreements for Z/D values 1 and 1.5 and not in agreement
for Z/D values 0.5. The effect of small nozzle to plate spacing on
Nust and Nu was investigated by many researchers, such as,
Hoogendoorn [9], Lytle and Webb [10], and Ashforth-Frost et al.
[11].
The current study investigates the effect of this geometric
parameter i.e. h/d using techniques of Computational Fluid
Dynamics. The CAD model of flame jet computational domain of
different h/d ratio (1.2, 1.6, 2, and 2.4) is developed in Creo design
software and CFD analysis is conducted using ANSYS CFX software
package [12]. The turbulence model used is RNG k-epsilon with
methane air reaction conditions. Fig. 5. CAD model of flame impingement with h/d: 2.4.

2. Modelling of flame impingement

h/d ration taken for our analysis are h/d: 1.2, h/d: 1.6, h/d: 2, and
h/d: 2.4 as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, and 5 respectively.
The CAD model of jet impingement geometry is developed in
The CAD model developed in Creo design software is imported
Creo design software using extrude tool. The base is developed
in ANSYS design modeller [12] where it is checked for any geomet-
followed by top cylindrical feature over base feature. Four different
ric errors like hard edges, spikes and surface patches as shown in
Fig. 6.

Fig. 2. CAD model of flame impingement with h/d: 1.2. Fig. 6. Imported CAD model of flame impingement geometry.

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A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

The CAD model imported in ANSYS design modeller is meshed

using tetrahedral elements which is suitable for complex geome-
tries [12]. The number of elements generated is 225,459 and num-
ber of nodes generated is 44114. The meshed model is shown in
Fig. 7.

2.1. Modelling of reaction by eddy dissipation Combustion-

The domain is defined as reacting mixture where methane air

reaction takes place with eddy dissipation combustion model
[13] to generate high temperature flame. In numerical simulations,
the proper selection of combustion model and turbulence model is
important to determine the effect of turbulent flow on heat trans-
fer characteristics. The earlier research on flame jet was conducted Fig. 8. Loads and boundary conditions.
at laminar flow conditions [14,15].
In eddy dissipation combustion model, the reaction rates are
determined from turbulent mixing rate [16]. The RNG k-epsilon
is used for analysis which is a two-equation model which gives a
general description of turbulence by means of two transport equa-
tions [17].
This stage involves matrix formulation, matrix multiplication
and matrix inversions as shown in Fig. 8. The results are calculated
at nodes and interpolated for entire element edge length.

3. Results and discussion

The velocity plot and temperature plot are generated for flame
impingement geometry with h/d: 1.2 as shown in Figs. 9 and 10.
The velocity profile shows that velocity is highest near nozzle out-
Fig. 9. Velocity streamlines for h/d: 1.2.
let as shown by red coloured region. The velocity magnitude is
58.33 m/s and as it strikes base plate the velocity reduces and
reaches to 29.17 m/s as shown by green coloured region.
The temperature plot shows higher temperature at the region of
contact between plate and gas as shown by red coloured zone
(temp 1947 K) which decreases as we move away from central
region as shown by dark orange (temp 1618 K) and yellow
coloured zone. The minimum temperature is observed on corner
regions as shown by dark blue colour (temp 464 K). The tempera-
ture vs distance curve is shown in Fig. 11 which shows higher tem-
perature at centre and reduces on moving away from it.
The wall heat transfer coefficient plot is shown in Fig. 12, which
shows value at center of plate with magnitude of 93.59 W/m2K and
decreases diametrically on moving away from the center.
This is evident from Table 1 and Fig. 13, which shows higher
magnitude of wall heat transfer coefficient at the center and
reduces with distance. The data for heat transfer coefficient of
h/d: 1.2 is shown in Table 1. Fig. 10. Temperature plot for h/d: 1.2.

The velocity plot and temperature plot is generated for flame

impingement geometry h/d: 1.6 as shown in Figs. 14 and 15. The
velocity profile shows that velocity is highest near nozzle outlet
as shown by red coloured region. The velocity magnitude is
Fig. 7. Meshed CAD model of flame impingement geometry.
58.57 m/s and as it strikes base plate the velocity reduces and
reaches to 29.29 m/s as shown by green coloured region.
The temperature plot in Fig. 15 generated for jet impingement
shows higher temperature at the region of contact between plate
and gas as shown by red coloured zone (temp 1949 K) which
decreases as we move away from central region as shown by dark
orange (temp. 1619 K) and yellow coloured zone. The minimum
temperature is observed on corner regions as shown by dark blue
color (temp 464 K). The temperature vs distance curve is shown in
Fig. 16 which shows higher temperature at center and reduces on
moving away from it.
The wall heat transfer coefficient is observed to maximum at
center of plate with magnitude of 96.65 W/m2K and decreases
diametrically on moving away from the center. This is evident from
Figs. 17 and 18 which shows higher magnitude of wall heat

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A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 14. Velocity streamlines for h/d: 1.6.

Fig. 11. Temperature vs distance curve for h/d: 1.2.

Fig. 15. Temperature plot for h/d: 1.6.

Fig. 12. Wall heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 1.2.

Table 1
Heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 1.2.

Distance from center (m) Heat transfer coefficient (W m^-2 K^-1)

0.013 72.84
0.016 61.96
0.019 56.57
0.023 50.14
0.026 38.66
0.029 22.45

Fig. 16. Temperature vs distance curve for h/d: 1.6.

velocity profile shows that velocity is highest near nozzle outlet

Fig. 13. Wall heat transfer coefficient vs distance plot for h/d: 1.2.
transfer coefficient at the center and reduces with distance. The
data for heat transfer coefficient of h/d: 1.6 is shown in Table 2.
The velocity plot and temperature plot is generated for flame
impingement geometry h/d: 2 as shown in Figs. 19 and 20. The
4
as shown by red colored region. The velocity magnitude is
58.98 m/s and as it strikes base plate the velocity reduces and
reaches to 29.49 m/s as shown by green colored region.
The temperature plot in Fig. 20 generated for jet impingement
shows higher temperature at the region of contact between plate
and gas as shown by red coloured zone (temp 1943 K) which
decreases as we move away from central region as shown by dark
orange (temp 1608 K) and yellow coloured zone.
The minimum temperature is observed on corner regions as
shown by dark blue colour (temp 433 K). The temperature vs dis-
tance curve is shown in Fig. 21 which shows higher temperature
at center and reduces on moving away from it.
The data for heat transfer coefficient of h/d: 2 is shown in
Table 3.
A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 17. Wall heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 1.6. Fig. 20. Temperature plot for h/d: 2.

Fig. 18. Wall heat transfer coefficient vs distance plot for h/d: 1.6. Fig. 21. Temperature vs distance curve for h/d: 2.

Table 3
Table 2 Heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 2.
Heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 1.6.
Distance from center (m) Heat transfer coefficient (W m^-2 K^-1)
Distance from center (m) Heat transfer coefficient (W m^-2 K^-1)
0.013 65.45
0.013 69.61 0.016 56.30
0.016 58.19 0.019 48.87
0.019 51.15 0.023 42.84
0.023 46.53 0.026 38.71
0.026 41.78 0.029 35.37
0.029 35.80

Fig. 22. Wall heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 2.

Fig. 19. Velocity streamlines for h/d: 2.
The wall heat transfer coefficient is observed to maximum at
center of plate with magnitude of 100.1 W/m2K and decreases dia-
metrically on moving away from the center. This is evident from
Figs. 22 and 23, which shows higher magnitude of wall heat trans-
fer coefficient at the center and reduces with distance.
5
The velocity plot and temperature plot is generated for flame
impingement geometry h/d: 2.4 as shown in Figs. 24 and 25. The
velocity profile shows that velocity is highest near nozzle outlet
as shown by red coloured region. The velocity magnitude is
59.26 m/s and as it strikes base plate the velocity reduces and
reaches to 29.64 m/s as shown by green coloured region.
A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx

Fig. 23. Wall heat transfer coefficient vs distance plot for h/d: 2. Fig. 26. Temperature vs distance curve for h/d: 2.4.

Table 4
Heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 2.4.

Distance from center (m) Heat transfer coefficient (W m^-2 K^-1)

0.013 65.44
0.016 56.18
0.019 48.10
0.023 41.42
0.026 36.60
0.029 32.62

Fig. 24. Velocity streamlines for h/d: 2.4.

Fig. 27. Wall heat transfer coefficient for h/d: 2.4.

Fig. 25. Temperature plot for h/d: 2.4.

The temperature plot in Fig. 25 is generated for jet impinge-

ment, shows higher temperature at the region of contact between
plate and gas as shown by red coloured zone (temp 1937 K) which
decreases as we move away from central region as shown by dark
orange (temp 1607 K) and yellow coloured zone.
The minimum temperature is observed on corner regions as
shown by dark blue colour. The temperature vs distance curve is
shown in Fig. 26 which shows higher temperature at center and
reduces parabolically on moving away from it. The minimum tem-
perature is observed at 0.025 m away from center.
The data for heat transfer coefficient of h/d: 2.4 is shown in Fig. 28. Wall heat transfer coefficient vs distance plot for h/d: 2.4.
Table 4.
The wall heat transfer coefficient is observed to maximum at
center of plate with magnitude of 100.1 W/m2K and decreases dia- Figs. 27 and 28, which shows higher magnitude of wall heat trans-
metrically on moving away from the center. It is evident from fer coefficient at the center and reduces with distance.

6
A. Agarwal and M.T. Letsatsi
Fig. 29. Comparative chart of heat transfer coefficient for different h/d ratios.
The comparative chart of heat transfer coefficient obtained from
CFD analysis is shown in Fig. 29. The localized heat transfer coeffi-
cient varies with distance from stagnation point. At stagnation
point, the h/d geometry with 1.2 has highest heat transfer coeffi-
cient as shown by blue curve and the h/d geometry with 2.4 has
lowest heat transfer coefficient as shown by yellow curve. The
impingement geometry with h/d 1.2 has correspondingly higher
heat transfer coefficient up to 0.023 m (blue curve) and thereafter
decreases swiftly to reach minimum value at 0.029 m.
4. Conclusion
The CFD simulation is conducted using ANSYS CFX software to
determine the effect of geometric ratio h/d on heat transfer charac-
teristics and velocity profile of flame jet impingement. The RNG k-
epsilon turbulence model gives better fluid flow predictions for
medium Reynolds number and flows without any vortex genera-
tion. The maximum heat transfer occurs at stagnation point and
depends upon h/d ratio.
For all geometric configurations of h/d, the circular zone of
0.0013 m diameter has highest heat transfer rate. The flame
impingement geometry with h/d 1.2 has highest heat transfer coef-
ficient followed by h/d 1.6, h/d 2 and lowest heat transfer rate is
observed for h/d 2.4.
Jet flames impinging on flat surfaces have been studied exten-
sively, but target surfaces of other shapes like cylindrical, hemi-
spherical, triangular, etc. which are of significance to industrial
and domestic applications should be studied. Effect of surface
treatment on heat transfer has not been studied in details and
requires further investigation.
CRediT authorship contribution statement
A. Agarwal: Conceptualization, Data curation. M.T. Letsatsi:
Investigation, Methodology, Software, Validation, Writing - review
& editing. A. Agarwal: Investigation, Methodology, Software, Writ-
ing - original draft, Writing - review & editing.
Declaration of Competing Interest
The authors declare that they have no known competing finan-
cial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared
to influence the work reported in this paper.
Materials Today: Proceedings xxx (xxxx) xxx
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