Flow Dynamics and Heat Transfer of a Stranded Overhead Conductor Cable

Stranded overhead conductor cables are used to transfer electric power, often over large distances. Conductor geometry, as well as environmental conditions, affect the power carrying capacity. This paper studies the flow dynamics and heat transfer for one stranded conductor geometry in air at Reynolds number of 1,000, determined using dynamic Smagorinsky Large Eddy Simulations. Proper Orthogonal Decomposition was used to identify coherent structures. In comparison to a smooth circular cylinder, the conductor strands noticeably affect the flow dynamics and heat transfer, locally and globally.