The steady cross flow of fluids past an array is often encountered in chemical, polymer, and allied processing industries. The steady cross flow of power-law-type dilatant fluids at low to moderate Reynolds numbers over an assemblage of long circular cylinders was studied numerically using the finite difference method. Theoretical results were obtained for the physical and kinematic conditions: porosity = 0.5 and 0.9; Re = 0.1, 1, and 10, and power-law index (1 ≤ n ≤ 1.8) using the free surface and zero vorticity cell models. The role of flow behavior index was prominent in the low Reynolds number region, and decreased with increasing Reynolds number. The zero vorticity model yielded fluid dynamic drag values ≤ 25% higher than those predicted by the free surface cell model. A shear-thickening fluid experienced more resistance to flow than an equivalent Newtonian fluid under otherwise identical conditions. This trend, attributed to the fact that most of the solid cylinder surface was exposed to a fluid of higher viscosity than that in the case of a Newtonian fluid, was consistent with previous findings for shear-thinning fluid. Limited vorticity patterns suggested that the viscous flow regime was encountered to up to Re ∼ 0.1. The good agreement between theory and experiments for Newtonian fluids showed the utility of the approach used in modeling momentum transfer in fibrous beds and tubular heat exchangers.