Large-eddy simulations of temporally accelerating turbulent channel flow

The unsteady turbulent channel flow subject to the temporal acceleration is considered in this study. Large-eddy simulations were performed to study the response of the turbulent flow to the temporal acceleration. The simulations were started with the fully developed turbulent channel flow at an initial Reynolds number of Re₀ = 3500 (based on the channel half-height and the bulk-mean velocity), and then a constant temporal acceleration was applied. During the acceleration, the Reynolds number of the channel flow increased linearly from the initial Reynolds number to the final Reynolds number of Re₁ = 22,600. The effect of grid resolution, domain size, time step size on the simulation results was assessed in a preliminary study using simulations of the accelerating turbulent flow as well as simulations of the steady turbulent channel flow at various Reynolds numbers. Simulation parameters were carefully chosen from the preliminary study to ascertain the accuracy of the simulation. From the accelerating turbulent flow simulations, the delays in the response of various flow properties to the temporal acceleration were measured. The distinctive features of the delays responsible for turbulence production, energy redistribution, and radial propagation were identified. Detailed turbulence statistics including the wall shear stress response during the acceleration were examined. The results reveal the changes in the near-wall structures during the acceleration. A self-sustaining mechanism of turbulence is proposed to explain the response of the turbulent flow to the temporal acceleration. Although the overall flow characteristics are similar between the channel and pipe flows, some differences were observed between the two flows.     

On mean flow universality of turbulent wall flows. II. Asymptotic flow analysis

Understanding of the structure of turbulent flows at extreme Reynolds numbers (Re) is relevant because of several reasons: almost all turbulence theories are only valid in the high Re limit, and most turbulent flows of practical relevance are characterized by very high Re. Specific questions about wall-bounded turbulent flows at extreme Re concern the asymptotic laws of the mean velocity and turbulence statistics, their universality, the convergence of statistics towards their asymptotic profiles, and the overall physical flow organization. In extension of recent studies focusing on the mean flow at moderate and relatively high Re, the latter questions are addressed with respect to three canonical wall-bounded flows (channel flow, pipe flow, and the zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer). Main results reported here are the asymptotic logarithmic law for the mean velocity and corresponding scale-separation laws for bulk flow properties, the Reynolds shear stress, the turbulence production and turbulent viscosity. A scaling analysis indicates that the establishment of a self-similar turbulence state is the condition for the development of a strict logarithmic velocity profile. The resulting overall physical flow structure at extreme Re is discussed.     

Vortex rings moving into turbulence

We report on an experimental study of turbulent vortex rings injected with velocity U _v0 into a grid-generated turbulent flow (with RMS streamwise velocity u _*) and followed relative to the mean flow. The initial Reynolds number of the vortices varies from 4500 to 11,500. The turbulence was characterised by an intensity I_t =u _*/U _v0, which varied over the range 0<I_t <0.03. A mathematical model based on a stochastic model of the vortex core is developed to explain and interpret the results. The vortex radius grows diffusively in time with the rate of increase of the square of the vortex radius increasing linearly with I_t . As the vortices grow, they slow down sufficiently rapidly in a manner that they penetrate a finite distance into the turbulence. The vortex velocity, averaged over many experiments, showed an initial t ^?1 decay, consistent with Maxworthy’s experiments. The analysis and experiments show that such vortices ultimately only move a finite distance from their point of generation and this distance varies inversely with I_t .     

Vorticity,backscatter and counter-gradient transport predictions using two-level simulation of turbulent flows

The two-level simulation (TLS) method evolves both the large-and the small-scale fields in a two-scale approach and has shown good predictive capabilities in both isotropic and wall-bounded high Reynolds number (Re) turbulent flows in the past. Sensitivity and ability of this modelling approach to predict fundamental features (such as backscatter, counter-gradient turbulent transport, small-scale vorticity, etc.) seen in high Re turbulent flows is assessed here by using two direct numerical simulation (DNS) datasets corresponding to a forced isotropic turbulence at Taylor’s microscale-based Reynolds number Re_λ ≈ 433 and a fully developed turbulent flow in a periodic channel at friction Reynolds number Re_τ ≈ 1000. It is shown that TLS captures the dynamics of local co-/counter-gradient transport and backscatter at the requisite scales of interest. These observations are further confirmed through a posteriori investigation of the flow in a periodic channel at Re_τ = 2000. The results reveal that the TLS method can capture both the large- and the small-scale flow physics in a consistent manner, and at a reduced overall cost when compared to the estimated DNS or wall-resolved LES cost.     

Large-eddy simulation of plane channel flow with Vreman's model

In this paper, large-eddy simulations of Vreman's model (VM) have been carried out to investigate its performances in a temporal transitional channel flow and in high Reynolds number turbulent channel flows. As a preliminary work, it is found that cubic root of the cell volume is the best choice of filter width for both VM and dynamic VM based on Germano identity (DVM), according to comparative studies and a-posteriori analyses at Re_τ = 590. VM and DVM are then used to simulate the temporal laminar–turbulent transitional channel flow, and the results turn out that VM and DVM are capable to simulate this temporal transient flow. In simulating high Reynolds number turbulent channel flows with a relatively coarse grid resolution, DVM itself shares the same weakness as the dynamic Smagorinsky model, while it can successfully predict the mean velocity profile and skin friction coefficient when it is coupled with the constrained large eddy simulation methodology. The coupling highly promotes the capability of Vreman's model, offering a new promising approach to simulate high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulent flows.     

On mean flow universality of turbulent wall flows. I. High Reynolds number flow analysis

ABSTRACT

The universality and mathematical physical structure of wall-bounded turbulent flows is a topic of discussions over many decades. There is no agreement about questions like what is the physical mean flow structure, how universal is it, and how universal are theoretical concepts for local and global flow variations. These questions are addressed by using latest direct numerical simulation (DNS) data at moderate Reynolds numbers Re and experimental data up to extreme Re. The mean flow structure is explained by analytical models for three canonical wall-bounded turbulent flows (channel flow, pipe flow, and the zero-pressure gradient turbulent boundary layer). Thorough comparisons with DNS and experimental data provide support for the validity of models. Criteria for veritable physics derived from observations are suggested. It is shown that the models presented satisfy these criteria. A probabilistic interpretation of the mean flow structure shows that the physical constraints of equal entropies and equally likely mean velocity values in a region unaffected by boundary effects impose a universal log-law structure. The structure of wall-bounded turbulent flows is much more universal than previously expected. There is no discrepancy between local logarithmic velocity variations and global friction law and bulk velocity variations. Flow effects are limited to the minimum: the difference of having a bounded or unbounded domain, and the variation range of mean velocity values allowed by the geometry.     

Inner–outer interactions in rough-wall turbulence

Here we revisit the inner–outer interaction model (IOIM) of Marusic et al. (Science, vol. 329, 2010, pp. 193–196) that enables the prediction of statistics of the fluctuating streamwise velocity in the inner region of wall-bounded turbulent flows from a large-scale velocity signature measured in the outer region of the flow. The model is characterised by two empirically observed inner–outer interactions: superposition of energy from outer region large-scale motions; and amplitude modulation by these large-scale motions of a small-scale ‘universal’ signal (u^*), which in smooth-wall flows is Reynolds number invariant. In the present study, the inner–outer interactions in rough-wall turbulent boundary layers are examined within the framework of the IOIM. Simultaneous two-point hot-wire anemometry measurements enable quantification, via the model parameters, of the strengths of superposition and amplitude modulation effects in a rough-wall flow, and these are compared to a smooth-wall flow. It is shown that the present rough-wall significantly reduces the effects of superposition, while increasing the amplitude modulation effect. The former is true even in flows that exhibit outer region similarity. Using the model parameters obtained from the two-point measurements, predictions of inner region streamwise velocity statistics and spectra are compared to measurements over a range of friction and roughness Reynolds numbers. These results indicate that the u^* signal does depend on roughness Reynolds number (k⁺_s), but is robust to changes in friction Reynolds number (δ⁺). Additionally, the superposition strength is shown to be relatively independent of both roughness and friction Reynolds number. The implications of the present results on the suitability of the IOIM as a predictive tool in rough-wall turbulence are discussed.     

Observation of vortex packets in direct numerical simulation of fully turbulent channel flow

A number of experimental studies have inferred the existence of packets of inclined, hairpinlike vortices in wall turbulence on the basis of observations made in two-dimensional x−y planes using visualization and particle image velocimetry (PIV). However, there are very few observations of hairpins in existing three-dimensional studies made using direct numerical simulation (DNS), and no such study claims to have revealed packets. We demonstrate, for the first time, the existence of hairpin vortex packets in DNS of turbulent flow. The vortex packet structure found in the present study at low Reynolds number,Re _t=300, is consistent with and substantiates the observations and the results from twodimensional PIV measurements at higher Reynolds numbers in channel, pipe and boundary layer flows. Thus, the evidence supports the view that vortex packets are a universal feature of wall turbulence, independent of effects due to boundary layer trips or critical conditions in the aforementioned numerical studies. Visualization of the DNS velocity field and vortices also shows the close association of hairpin packets with long low-momentum streaks and the regions of high Reynolds shear stress.     

The mean velocity profile of near-wall turbulent flow: is there anything in between the logarithmic and power laws?

The question of possible analytical forms for the mean velocity profile in a near-wall turbulent flow is addressed. An approach based on the use of dispersion relations for the flow velocity is developed in the context of a two-dimensional channel flow. It is shown that for an incompressible flow conserving vorticity, there exists a decomposition of the velocity field into rotational and potential components, such that the restriction of the former to an arbitrary cross section of the channel is a functional of the vorticity and velocity distributions over that cross section, while the latter is divergence-free and bounded downstream thereof. By eliminating the unknown potential component with the help of a dispersion relation, a nonlinear integro-differential equation for the flow velocity is obtained. It is then analysed within an asymptotic expansion in the small ratio v_*/U of the friction velocity to the mean flow velocity. Upon statistical averaging in the lowest nontrivial order, this equation relates the mean velocity to the cross-correlation function of the velocity fluctuations. Analysis of the equation reveals existence of two continuous families of solutions, one having the power-law near-wall asymptotic U ～ yⁿ, where y is the distance to the wall, n > 0, and the other, U ～ ln?^p(y/y₀), with y₀ = const and p ≥ 1. In the limit of infinite channel height, the exponent n turns out to be asymptotically a universal function of the Reynolds number, n ～ 1/ln?Re, whereas p → 1. Thus, the logarithmic profile (p = 1) is found to be a member of the power-log family whose members with p > 1 are intermediate between the power- and logarithmic-law profiles with respect to their slopes at large y. These results are discussed in the light of the existing controversy regarding experimental verification of the law of the wall.     

Fractal modelling of turbulent mixing

The aim of this work is to propose a new model for turbulent flows, called the fractal model (FM), applicable both in a Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) and a large-eddy simulation (LES) formulation, with the ultimate goal of applying it to simulate turbulent combustion irrelevant of its mode (premixed or non-premixed). The model is able to turn itself off in the laminar zones of the flow, and in particular near walls. It is based on the fractal theory. It describes the physics of the smaller spatial scales and therefore represents a small-scales model.

FM describes the physics of the small scales of turbulence based on the phenomenological concept of vortex cascade and on the self-similar behaviour of turbulence in the inertial range. Such a model is used in each cell of a numerical calculation. A characteristic length Δ is associated to each cell, and the local energy u ³ _Δ/Δ is distributed over a certain number of eddies, which depends on the local Reynolds number Re _Δ. Each vortex of the cascade generates N _c vortices; the recursive process of vortex generation terminates at the dissipative scale level, i.e. when the eddy Reynolds number is equal to one. FM is also able to estimate the volume fraction occupied by the dissipative fine structures of turbulence; this quantity is critical in reactive turbulent flows.

The physics of small scales is summarized by a turbulent ‘viscosity’ μ_t, to be added to the molecular one. μ_t is zero where the flow is laminar and, in particular, goes to zero at solid walls. Assuming μ_t to be isotropic, FM is applicable in a RANS formulation (IFM, isotropic fractal model). The model can be extended to the anisotropic case (AFM, anisotropic fractal model) and therefore used to close the transport equations in an LES approach. In the present paper, the model (IFM) is used in a RANS approach and is validated through a test case studied experimentally by Johnson and Bennett, and numerically (with LES) by Akselvoll and Moin. The results obtained are in good agreement both with the experimental and the numerical ones. Other tests are being performed.     

Effects of inclined impermeable bed on the turbulent characteristics of the flow using particle image velocimetry

In this study, the turbulent characteristics of the flow in an open channel with horizontal and inclined impermeable beds were studied experimentally using two-dimensional particle image velocimetry (PIV). The experiments were conducted in a channel of 6.5 m in length, 7.5 cm in width and 25 cm in height. The slope of the channel was S = 0 for the horizontal impermeable bed and for S = ?0.002, S = ?0.004 and S = ?0.006 for the inclined impermeable bed. Hydraulic characteristics such as distributions of velocities, turbulent intensities and Reynolds stress are investigated at a fine resolution using the PIV. Velocity is measured above the horizontal and inclined impermeable bed for the same different heights (h = 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 cm) and for the same different discharges (Q = 0.735, 0.845 and 0.970 lt/s). Results show that the channel slope influences significantly near the impermeable bed but not near the free surface the variation of turbulent characteristics of the flow and also the alteration of the channel slope from ?0.002 to ?0.006 doesn't influence the variation of turbulent characteristics of the flow, which are the longitudinal turbulent intensity u′U_*, the vertical turbulent intensity v′/U_* and the turbulent kinetic energy. The channel slope doesn't influence the Reynolds stress.     

Peculiarities of deformation of compliant coatings with increased strength

Influence of elasticity module of coating material on the parameters of hard compliant coatings deformation has been analysed. Calculation using two-dimensional model has shown that maximum coating deformation is achieved at the ratio of flow rate U to the parameter C _t ⁰ = (E/3ρ)^0.5 approximately equal to 2.5, however, velocity of wall surface motion has first local maximum at U/C _t ⁰≈1. The range of coating parameters’ values at which compromise between its hardness and intensity of interaction with turbulent flow is provided has been determined. For rubbery materials with Poisson coefficient of about 0.5, correlations of the flow velocity and parameter C _t ⁰ shall be in the range 1÷1.5. It is shown that at such parameters, the mean square value of the coating surface deflection/inflection is less than the viscous sublayer thickness, its correlation with the wavelength is very small and equals (1÷5)·10⁻⁴. Such form of deformed surface fundamentally differs from the parameters of the wave wall in Kendall’s experiments which results are used for calculation of inverse influence of wall deformation on the flow. It was assumed that solid compliant coatings do not cause instability of interaction with the ambient flow.     

Scaling of global momentum transport in Taylor-Couette and pipe flow

We interpret measurements of the Reynolds number dependence of the torque in Taylor-Couette flow by Lewis and Swinney [Phys. Rev. E 59, 5457 (1999)] and of the pressure drop in pipe flow by Smits and Zagarola [Phys. Fluids 10, 1045 (1998)] within the scaling theory of Grossmann and Lohse [J. Fluid Mech. 407, 27 (2000)], developed in the context of thermal convection. The main idea is to split the energy dissipation into contributions from a boundary layer and the turbulent bulk. This ansatz can account for the observed scaling in both cases if it is assumed that the internal wind velocity introduced through the rotational or pressure forcing is related to the external (imposed) velocity U, by with and for the Taylor-Couette (U inner cylinder velocity) and pipe flow (U mean flow velocity) case, respectively. In contrast to the Rayleigh-Bénard case the scaling exponents cannot (yet) be derived from the dynamical equations. Received 9 September 2000     

A multi-scale simulation method for high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulent flows

We present an assessment and enhancement of the hybrid two-level large-eddy simulation method (A.G. Gungor and S. Menon, A new two-scale model for large eddy simulation of wall-bounded flows, Prog. Aerosp. Sci. 46 (2010), pp. 28–45), a multi-scale formulation for simulation of high Reynolds number wall-bounded turbulent flows. The assessment of the method is performed by examining role of static and dynamic blending functions used to perform hybridisation of two-level simulation (K. Kemenov and S. Menon, Explicit small-scale velocity simulation for high-Re turbulent flows, J. Comput. Phys. 220 (2006), pp. 290–311; K. Kemenov and S. Menon, Explicit small-scale velocity simulation for high-Re turbulent flows. Part 2: Non-homogeneous flows, J. Comput. Phys. 222 (2007), pp. 673–701) and large-eddy simulation methods. The sensitivity of first- and second-order turbulence statistics to the type of blending functions is investigated by simulating a fully developed turbulent flow in a channel at a friction Reynolds number Re_τ = 395 and comparing the results with those obtained using a direct numerical simulation. The first-order statistics do not show any significant differences for different blending functions, but the second-order statistics show some minor differences. The dynamic evaluation of the hybrid region and the blending function is necessary for non-equilibrium and complex flows where use of a static blending function can lead to inaccurate results. We propose two criteria for the dynamic evaluation; first evaluates extent of the hybrid region based on the subgrid turbulent kinetic energy and the second estimates the blending function based on a characteristic length scale. The computational efficiency of the method is enhanced by incorporating a hybrid programming paradigm where a standard domain decomposition by the message-passing-interface library is combined with the open multi-processing based parallelisation. A further enhancement of the method is achieved by incorporating a closure model for the unclosed hybrid terms in the governing equations, which appear due to hybridisation of two-level- and large-eddy-simulation methods. The model is based on an order of magnitude approximation and a preliminary assessment of the model shows improvement of turbulence statistics when used to simulate turbulent flow in a periodic channel. The assessment and improvements to the multi-scale method make it more suitable for simulation of practical wall-bounded turbulent flows at higher Reynolds number than a conventional large-eddy simulation. This is demonstrated by simulating two representative cases; turbulent flow at high Reynolds number in a periodic channel and flow over a bump placed on the lower surface of a channel, where a relatively coarser computational grid is found to be sufficient for reasonably accurate results.     

Turbulent vortex rings in weakly turbulent and in turbulent ambient flow

Turbulent vortex rings were investigated in weakly turbulent flow and in three different grid generated turbulent flows to clarify the reciprocal action of the vortex ring with defined external turbulence. Assuming self-similarity and turbulent viscosity as proportional to V₀D₀ the equations for the ring diameter D(t) and the velocity of propagation V(t) were derived. The time difference Δt between the virtual origins of 1/V(t) respectively D²(t) led to an invariant term. The equation of momentum is fulfilled. – Position and diameter of the vortex rings were determined till their decay by means of an optical system, which did not disturb the vortex rings. The experimental results in weakly turbulent ambient flow obtained by the author and by others confirm the theory very well. The ambient turbulence was nearly constant in the measuring region; its effect could be described by simply adding its viscosity to the vortex ring’s internal turbulent viscosity. The results could be represented in unified non-dimensional diagrams. Moreover, an explanation was found as to why the mean internal turbulent viscosity is constant.     

Micro-machined super-miniature hot-film multi-array probe for field experiments with sub-Kolmogorov resolution

This is a report on the first successful experiments with a unique micro-hot-film multi-array probe. The main aim of this part of the project was to design, fabricate, implement and test in laboratory conditions a micro-hot-film multi-array probe for measurements in turbulent flows in field experiments with sub-Kolmogorov resolution. The key feature is that the probe is enabling to access, along with all three components of turbulent velocity fluctuations, also all nine components of the spatial velocity gradients tensor, including the option of obtaining the stream-wise velocity derivatives without employing the Taylor hypothesis, as well as velocity temporal derivatives. Hence the multi-array probe (typically five arrays) is built with each array consisting of four hot-film sensors, similarly to that of larger multi-array probe, based on arrays with four hot wires used in the atmospheric surface layer at Taylor micro-scale Reynolds number up to Re_λ ≈ 10⁴. This part of work relates to Reynolds numbers Re_λ < 500 and employs several laboratory flows including flow in a channel of rectangular cross section, in its bulk and in the boundary layers in the proximity of its smooth and rough walls, and in the confined jet of circular cross section.     

On minimum aspect ratio for duct flow facilities and the role of side walls in generating secondary flows

To the surprise of some of our colleagues, we recently recommended aspect ratios of at least 24 (instead of accepted values over last few decades ranging from 5 to 12) to minimise effects of side walls in turbulent duct flow experiments, in order to approximate the two-dimensional channel flow. Here we compile available results from hydraulics and civil engineering literature, where this was already documented in the 1980s. This is of great importance due to the large amount of computational studies (mainly direct numerical simulations, DNSs) for spanwise-periodic turbulent channel flows, and the extreme complexity of constructing a fully developed duct flow facility with aspect ratio of 24 for high Reynolds numbers with adequate probe resolution. Results from this non-traditional literature for the turbulence community are compared to our recent database of DNS of turbulent duct flows with aspect ratios ranging from 1 to 18 at Re_{τ, c} values of 180 and 330, leading to very good agreement between their experimental and our computational results at these low Reynolds numbers. The DNS results also reveal the complexity of a multitude of streamwise vortical structures in addition to the secondary corner flows (which extend up to z ? 5h). These time-dependent and meandering streamwise structures are located at the core of the duct and scale with its half-height. Comparisons of these structures with the vortical motions found in spanwise-periodic channels reveal similitudes in their time-averages and the same rate of decay of their mean kinetic energy ～ T^{? 1}_A, with T_A being the averaging time. However, differences between the two flows are identified and ideas for their future analysis are proposed.     

Particle Mass Loading Effect on a Two-Phase Turbulent Downward Jet Flow

The particle mass loading effect on the flow structure of a two-phase turbulent jet flow was studied. A particle mass loading ratio ranging from 0 to 3.6 was used as the control parameter. The polystyrene solid particles used had nominal diameters of 210 and 780 μm. The flow Reynolds number, which was based on the pipe nozzle diameter and the fluid-phase centerline mean velocity, was 2 × 10⁴ in the current test. A two-color laser Doppler anemometer (LDA), combined with the amplitude discrimination method and the velocity filter method, was employed to measure the mean velocity distributions for the particle and fluid phases, and the turbulent intensities and Reynolds stresses of the flow. The two-phase jet flow field was measured from the initial pipe exit to 90 D downstream. Another one-component He? Ne laser LDA system was also applied to obtain the energy spectra and temporal correlations of the two-phase jet flow.     

Finite element-based large eddy simulation using a combination of the variational multiscale method and the dynamic Smagorinsky model

A finite element-based large eddy simulation (LES) is proposed using a combination of the residual-based variational multiscale (RBVMS) approach and the dynamic Smagorinsky eddy-viscosity model. In this combined model, the cross-stress terms are modelled using the RBVMS approach while the eddy-viscosity model is used to represent the Reynolds stresses. The eddy-viscosity is computed dynamically in a local fashion for which a localized version of the variational Germano identity is developed. To improve the robustness of the local dynamic procedure, two types of averaging schemes are considered. The first type employs spatial averaging over homogeneous direction(s) which is only applicable to turbulent flows with statistical homogeneity in at least one direction. The second type is based on Lagrangian averaging over fluid pathtubes, which is applicable to inhomogeneous turbulent flows. The predictions from the combined model are compared to the direct numerical simulation or experimental data and also to the predictions from the RBVMS model. This is done for two cases: turbulent flow in a channel (Re_τ = 590) and flow over a cylinder (Re_D = 3, 900). For the turbulent channel flow, predictions are similar between the RBVMS model and the combined model. For flow over a cylinder, the combined model provides better predictions, specifically for fluctuations in the streamwise velocity and lift.     

Vortex dynamics of a trapezoidal bluff body placed inside a circular pipe

The influence of Reynolds number and blockage ratio on the vortex dynamics of a trapezoidal bluff body placed inside a circular pipe is studied experimentally and numerically. Low aspect ratio, high blockage ratio, curved end conditions (junction of pipe and bluff body), axisymmetric upstream flow with shear and turbulence are some of the intrinsic features of this class of bluff body flows which have been scarcely addressed in the literature. A large range (200:200,000) of Reynolds number (Re_D) is covered in this study, encompassing all the three pipe flow regimes (laminar, transition and turbulent). Four different flow regimes are defined based on the distinct features of Strouhal number (St)–Re_D relation: steady, laminar irregular, transition and turbulent. The wake in the steady regime is stationary with no oscillations in the shear layer. The laminar regime is termed as irregular owing to irregular vortex shedding. The vortex shedding in this regime is observed to be symmetric. The emergence of separation bubble downstream of the bluff body on either side is another interesting feature of this regime, which is further observed to be symmetric. Two pairs of mean streamwise vortices are noticed in the near-wake regime, which are termed as reverse dipole-type wake topology. Beyond the irregular laminar regime, the Strouhal number falls gradually and vortex shedding becomes more periodic. This regime is named transition and occurs close to the Reynolds number at which transition to turbulence takes place in a fully developed pipe. The turbulent regime is characterised by a nearly constant Strouhal number. Typical Karman-type vortex shedding is noticed in this regime. The convection velocity, wake width formation length and irrecoverable pressure loss are quantified to highlight the influence of blockage ratio. These results will be useful to develop basic understanding of vortex dynamics of confined bluff body flow for several practical applications.