variavel0=<b>Marcelo J.S. De Lemos</b> - delemos@mec.ita.br ITA
<b>Francisco D. Rocamora Jr.</b> - delemos@mec.ita.br IEAv-CTA
<b>Abstract.</b> In this work the effects of a porous insert on the heat transfer characteristics for a backward-facing step channel heated from the lower wall past the step is analyzed. The insert is placed right after the step and the influence of several parameters such as porosity, permeability, fluid-to-porous matrix conductivity ratio, insert width, etc., is analyzed. For the turbulent flow regime, a macroscopic k- E High-Reynolds Turbulence model is used to solve the flow and heat transport equations in the porous medium. The clear and porous media are treated in a single computational domain. It is found that for some combinations of the parameters analyzed the heat transfer characteristics can be enhanced.
<b>Keywords.</b> Porous Medium, Turbulent heat transfer, Numerical methods.