Jet impingement onto kerf: Effect of kerf wedge angle on heat transfer rates and skin friction

•Nusselt number increases at the kerf inlet due to impinging gas effect.•Flow acceleration results in second peak of Nusselt number in the kerf.•Influence of kerf wall wedge angle on Nusselt number is considerable.•Skin friction decreases with increasing depth toward kerf exit.

Jet impingement onto a kerf is considered in relation to laser cutting process. Flow and temperature fields are predicted using the three-dimensional modeling. In the simulations influence of kerf wall wedge angle on the Nusselt number and the skin friction at the surface of the kerf wall is examined. The RNG k−ε model is incorporated to account for the turbulence. A control volume approach is introduced to discretize the governing flow equations. It is found that the kerf wall wedge angle has considerable influence on the Nusselt number and the skin friction.