A basic understanding of the highly nonlinear interaction effects of closely spaced spheres on fluid mechanics and heat transfer parameters is important for improving the design of a variety of thermal fluid-particle systems. Fluid flow patterns, isotherms, as well as Nusselt number distributions and extended correlations are presented for steady laminar axisym-metric flow past a linear array of three spheres. A finite-element method is used to solve the complete Navier-Stokes and heat transfer equations for the system parameter ranges 1⩾ Red⩾ 200 (Reynolds number) 2⩾ dij10 ( particle spacings)and 0. 1 ⩾ prRed2000 (Piclet number). The verified computer simulation results indicate that convection heat transfer parameters of interacting spherical particles deviate significantly from solitary spheres for all Reynolds and Piclet numbers.