Time-averaged topological flow patterns and their influence on vortex shedding of a square cylinder in crossflow at incidence

Flow characteristics around the square cylinder and their influence on the wake properties are studied. Time-averaged flow patterns on the surfaces of square cylinder in a cross-stream at incidence are experimentally probed by surface-oil flow technique and analyzed by flow topology for Reynolds numbers between 3.9×10⁴ and 9.4×10⁴ as the incidence angle changes from 0° to 45°. Vortex shedding characteristics are measured by a single-wire hot-wire anemometer for Reynolds numbers between 5×10³ and 1.2×10⁵. The effects of topological flow patterns on the wake properties then are revealed and discussed. Flows around the square cylinder are identified as three categories: the subcritical, supercritical, and wedge flows according to the prominently different features of the topological flow patterns. The Strouhal number of vortex shedding, turbulence in the wake, and wake width present drastically different behaviors in different characteristic flow regimes. A critical incidence angle of 15° separates the subcritical and supercritical regimes. At the critical incidence angle the wake width and shear-layer turbulence present minimum values. The minimum wake width appearing at the critical incidence angle, which leads to the maximum Strouhal number, is due to the reattachment of one of the separated boundary layer to the lateral face of the square cylinder. If the Strouhal numbers are calculated based on the wake width instead of the cross-stream projection width of cylinder, the data in the subcritical and supercritical regimes are well correlated into two groups, which would approach constants at high Reynolds numbers.     

Reynolds-number-effects in flow around a rectangular cylinder with aspect ratio 1:5

The paper reports on experiments carried out over a wide range of Reynolds numbers in a high pressure wind tunnel. The model was a sharp-edged rectangular cylinder with aspect ratio height/width 1:5 (width/span ratio 1:10.8), which was investigated in both basic orientations, lengthwise (4×10³<Re<4×10⁵) and perpendicular to the flow (2.7×10⁴<Re<6.4×10⁵). The Reynolds number is based on the height of the model normal to the flow. Steady and unsteady forces were measured with a piezoelectric balance. Thus along with steady (i.e. time averaged values) including the base pressure coefficient, also power spectra and probability density functions were measured yielding for example Strouhal numbers, higher statistical moments, etc. A response diagram for the vortex resonance phenomenon was taken for the natural bending motion of the slender model. If lift coefficient for constant angle of attack is plotted against Reynolds number, a significant Reynolds number effect is seen. For α=4°, the curve shows an inflection point and the lift varies between 0.3 and 0.6. For α=6° and 2° there are similar variations shifted to lower and higher values of Re, respectively. Probably the shapes of separation bubbles that depend on the Reynolds number are responsible for these effects. No Reynolds number effects were observed when the long side was normal to the flow, an orientation where reattachment at the side walls is not possible. Comparing both basic cases (α=0° and 90°), the interpretation of the probability distributions of lift force leads to the conclusion that the possibility of reattachment (α=0°) seems to enhance the degree of order in the vortex shedding process.     

Influence of the orientation of a square cylinder on the wake properties

An experimental investigation of flow around a square cylinder placed at various angles with respect to the approach fluid velocity is reported. The focus of the study is toward examining the sensitivity of the wake properties to the cylinder orientation and Reynolds number. Angles of incidence in the range of 0-60° and Reynolds numbers of 1340, 4990, and 9980 have been considered. Velocity measurements have been carried out using an X-wire hotwire anemometer. The Strouhal number and the drag coefficient of the cylinder have been computed from the wake measurements. Utilizing the velocity traces at distinct probe locations in the near and the far wake, statistical properties such as the RMS velocities and the spectra have been obtained. Results obtained in the present work revealed that for a cylinder with zero inclination, flow separates from the corners on the face exposed to the incoming flow. For inclinations greater than zero, the points of separation on the cylinder move downstream and the wake size increases, but the separated shear layer rolls up over a shorter distance. These factors lead to a reduced drag coefficient and a higher Strouhal number. The center-line recovery of the time-averaged velocity and the decay rates of velocity fluctuations depend on the Reynolds number. A marginal effect of the cylinder orientation is also seen.     

Vortex shedding and three-dimensional behaviour of flow past a cylinder confined in a channel

A numerical investigation of the flow past a circular cylinder centred in a two-dimensional channel of varying width is presented. For low Reynolds numbers, the flow is steady. For higher Reynolds numbers, vortices begin to shed periodically from the cylinder. In general, the Strouhal frequency of the shedding vortices increases with blockage ratio. In addition, a two-dimensional instability of the periodic vortex shedding is found, both empirically and by means of a Floquet stability analysis. The instability leads to a beating behaviour in the lift and drag coefficients of the cylinder, which occurs at a Reynolds number higher than the critical Reynolds number for the three-dimensional mode A-type instability, but lower than a Reynolds number for any mode B-type instability.     

The near wake structure of a square cylinder

The near wake structure of a square cross section cylinder in flow perpendicular to its length was investigated experimentally over a Reynolds number (based on cylinder width) range of 6700–43,000. The wake structure and the characteristics of the instability wave, scaling on θ at separation, were strongly dependent on the incidence angle () of the freestream velocity. The nondimensional frequency (St_θ) of the instability wave varied within the range predicted for laminar instability frequencies for flat plate wakes, jets and shear layers. For = 22.5°, the freestream velocity was accelerated over the side walls and the deflection of the streamlines (from both sides of the cylinder) towards the center line was higher compared to the streamlines for = 0°. This caused the vortices from both sides of the cylinder to merge by x/d 2, giving the mean velocity distribution typical of a wake profile. For = 0°, the vortices shed from both sides of the cylinder did not merge until x/d 4.5. The separation boundary layer for all cases was either transitional or turbulent, yet the results showed good qualitative, and for some cases even quantitative, agreement with linearized stability results for small amplitude disturbances waves in laminar separation layers.     

Vortex shedding from two finite circular cylinders in a staggered configuration

Wind tunnel experiments were conducted to measure the vortex shedding frequencies for two circular cylinders of finite height arranged in a staggered configuration. The cylinders were mounted normal to a ground plane and were partially immersed in a flat-plate turbulent boundary layer. The Reynolds number based on the cylinder diameter was Re_D=2.4×10⁴, the cylinder aspect ratio was AR=9, the boundary layer thickness relative to the cylinder height was δ/H=0.4, the centre-to-centre pitch ratio was varied from P/D=1.125 to 5, and the incidence angle was incremented in small steps from α=0° to 90°. The Strouhal numbers were obtained behind the upstream and downstream cylinders using hot-wire anemometry. From the behaviour of the Strouhal number data obtained at the mid-height position, the staggered configuration could be broadly classified by the pitch ratio as closely spaced (P/D<1.5), moderately spaced (1.5?P/D?3), or widely spaced (P/D>3). The closely spaced staggered finite cylinders were characterized by the same Strouhal number measured behind both cylinders, an indication of single bluff-body behaviour. Moderately spaced staggered finite cylinders were characterized by two Strouhal numbers at most incidence angles. Widely spaced staggered cylinders were characterized by a single Strouhal number for both cylinders, indicative of synchronized vortex shedding from both cylinders at all incidence angles. For selected staggered configurations representative of closely spaced, moderately spaced, or widely spaced behaviour, Strouhal number measurements were also made along the vertical lengths of the cylinders, from the ground plane to the free end. The power spectra showed that for certain cylinder arrangements, because of the influences of the cylinder–wall junction and free-end flow fields, the Strouhal numbers and flow patterns change along the cylinder.     

The effects of surface injection through a perforated square cylinder on some aerodynamic parameters

The surface pressure distribution and the vortex shedding frequency were investigated for the flow around perforated horizontal and diagonal square cylinders with surface injection through various surfaces. For this purpose, surface pressure measurements on each square cylinder (horizontal and diagonal) and vortex shedding frequency measurements in the wake region were performed at three different Reynolds numbers in a wind tunnel. The parameters considered were injection coefficient, position of perforated surface (i.e., top, rear, top-rear and all), pressure coefficient, drag coefficient, and the Strouhal number. The results showed that pressure coefficient distribution, drag coefficient, and the Strouhal number were influenced by the position of the perforated surface and by the injection coefficient. The surface injections through the top-rear, rear and all surfaces of a diagonal square cylinder reduce the drag coefficient for the all Reynolds numbers, while the injection through all surfaces only reduces the drag coefficient of a horizontal square cylinder. The other aerodynamic parameter Strouhal number can also be controlled by injection through certain surfaces of a horizontal square cylinder.     

Experiment on smooth,circular cylinders in cross-flow in the critical Reynolds number regime

Experiments were conducted for 2D circular cylinders at Reynolds numbers in the range of 1.73 × 10⁵–5.86 × 10⁵. In the experiment, two circular cylinder models made of acrylic and stainless steel, respectively, were employed, which have similar dimensions but different surface roughness. Particular attention was paid to the unsteady flow behaviors inferred by the signals obtained from the pressure taps on the cylinder models and by a hot-wire probe in the near-wake region. At Reynolds numbers pertaining to the initial transition from the subcritical to the critical regimes, pronounced pressure fluctuations were measured on the surfaces of both cylinder models, which were attributed to the excursion of unsteady flow separation over a large circumferential region. At the Reynolds numbers almost reaching the one-bubble state, it was noted that the development of separation bubble might switch from one side to the other with time. Wavelet analysis of the pressure signals measured simultaneously at θ = ±90° further revealed that when no separation bubble was developed, the instantaneous vortex-shedding frequencies could be clearly resolved, about 0.2, in terms of the Strouhal number. The results of oil-film flow visualization on the stainless steel cylinder of the one-bubble and two-bubble states showed that the flow reattachment region downstream of a separation bubble appeared not uniform along the span of the model. Thus, the three dimensionality was quite evident.     

Numerical simulation of Reynolds number effects on velocity shear flow around a circular cylinder

Three-dimensional Direct Numerical Simulation (DNS) and Large Eddy Simulation (LES) are performed to investigate the shear effects on flow around a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers of Re=60–1000. The shear parameter, β, which is based on the velocity gradient, cylinder diameter and upstream mean velocity at the center plane of the cylinder, varies from 0 to 0.30. Variations of Strouhal number, drag and lift coefficients, and unsteady wake structures with shear parameter are studied, along with their dependence on Reynolds number. The presented simulation provides detailed information for the flow field around a circular cylinder in shear flow. This study shows that the Strouhal number exhibits no significant variation with shear parameter. The stagnation point moves to the high-velocity side almost linearly with shear parameter, and this result mainly influences the aerodynamic forces acting on a circular cylinder in shear flow. Both the Reynolds number and shear parameter influence the movement of the stagnation point and separation point. Mode A wake instability is suppressed into parallel vortex shedding mode at a certain shear parameter. The lift force increases with increasing shear parameter and acts from the high-velocity side to the low-velocity side. In addition, a simple method to estimate the lift force coefficient in shear flow is provided.     

Numerical simulation of laminar flow past a circular cylinder with slip conditions

The no‐slip condition is an assumption that cannot be derived from first principles and a growing number of literatures replace the no‐slip condition with partial‐slip condition, or Navier‐slip condition. In this study, the influence of partial‐slip boundary conditions on the laminar flow properties past a circular cylinder was examined. Shallow‐water equations are solved by using the finite element method accommodating SU/PG scheme. Four Reynolds numbers (20, 40, 80, and 100) and six slip lengths were considered in the numerical simulation to investigate the effects of slip length and Reynolds number on characteristic parameters such as wall vorticity, drag coefficient, separation angle, wake length, velocity distributions on and behind the cylinder, lift coefficient, and Strouhal number. The simulation results revealed that as the slip length increases, the drag coefficient decreases since the frictional component of drag is reduced, and the shear layer developed along the cylinder surface tends to push the separation point away toward the rear stagnation point so that it has larger separation angle than that of the no‐slip condition. The length of the wake bubble zone was shortened by the combined effects of the reduced wall vorticity and wall shear stress which caused a shift of the reattachment point closer to the cylinder. The frequency of the asymmetrical vortex formation with partial slip velocity was increased due to the intrinsic inertial effect of the Navier‐slip condition. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of dual-particles settling under gravity

As a first step towards understanding particle–particle interaction in fluid flows, the motion of two spherical particles settling in close proximity under gravity in Newtonian fluids was investigated experimentally for particle Reynolds numbers ranging from 0.01 to 2000. It was observed that particles repel each other for Re>0.1 and that the separation distance of settling particles is Reynolds number dependent. At lower Reynolds numbers, i.e. for Re<0.1, particles settling under gravity do not separate.The orientation preference of two spherical particles was found to be Reynolds number dependent. At higher Reynolds numbers, the line connecting the centres of the two particles is always horizontal, regardless of the way the two particles are launched. At lower Reynolds numbers, however, the particle centreline tends to tilt to an arbitrary angle, even of the two particles are launched in the horizontal plane. Because of the tilt, a side migration of the two particles was found to exist. A linear theory was developed to estimate the side migration velocity. It was found that the maximum side migration velocity is approximately 6% of the vertical settling velocity, in good agreement with the experimental results.Counter-rotating spinning of the two particles was observed and measured in the range of Re=0–10. Using the linear model, it is possible to estimate the influence of the tilt angle on the rate of rotation at low Reynolds numbers. Dual particles settle faster than a single particle at small Reynolds numbers but not at higher Reynolds numbers, because of particle separation. The variation of particle settling velocity with Reynolds number is presented. An equation which can be used to estimate the influence of tilt angle on particle settling velocity at low Reynolds number is also derived.     

Fluid flow and heat transfer around circular cylinder – flat and curved plates combinations

Experimental studies were carried out to investigate the fluid flow and heat transfer around a heated circular cylinder which was placed at various distances of a wall boundary with different geometries (flat or curved plate) with subcritical Reynolds number ranging from 3.5×10³ to 10⁴. The effects of plate geometry (aspect ratio: W|H=1.0,1.5 and 2.0, and rim angle, φ=0°,60°,90°, and 120°) and gap ratio, (G|D=0.0,0.86,2.0,7.0,10.0) on the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics (static pressure around cylinder surface, wake width, base pressure, pressure drag coefficients, velocity distribution, and both local and mean Nusselt numbers) were presented. Also flow visualization was carried out to illustrate the flow patterns around the cylinder at various gap ratios (G|D). It was found that the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics are dependent on the plate geometry at all tested gap ratios, except for G|D=7.0 and 10.0, they are independent of the plate geometry.     

Formation of a vortex street behind an oscillating cylinder

The paper presents the results of an experimental study of the vortex street behind a circular cylinder oscillating across a water stream at Reynolds numbers less than the critical value at which a vortex street is formed behind a stationary cylinder. The asymptotic dependence of the nondimensional vortex separation frequency (the Strouhal number) on the main relevant parameters is obtained. The value of a constant coefficient appearing in this relationship has been found experimentally.Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 1, pp. 51–56, January–February, 1995.     

Numerical simulation of shear effect on vortex shedding behind a square cylinder

This paper is concerned with the numerical simulation of the flow structure around a square cylinder in a uniform shear flow. The calculations were conducted by solving the unsteady 2D Navier–Stokes equations with a finite difference method. The effect of the shear parameter K of the approaching flow on the vortex-shedding Strouhal number and the force coefficients acting on the square cylinder is investigated in the range K=0·0–0·25 at various Reynolds numbers from 500 to 1500. The computational results are compared with some existing experimental data and previous studies. The effect of shear rate on the Strouhal number and the force acting on the cylinder has a tendency to reduce the oscillation. The Strouhal number, mean drag and amplitude of the fluctuating force tend to decrease as the shear rate increases, but show no significant change at low shear rate. Increasing the Reynolds number decreases the Strouhal number and increases the force acting on the cylinder. At high shear rate the shedding frequencies of the fluctuating drag and lift coefficients are identical. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of co-rotating vortices in a flow around a bio-inspired corrugated airfoil

Bio-inspired corrugated airfoils show favourable aerodynamic characteristics such as high coefficient of lift and delayed stall at low Reynolds numbers. Two-dimensional (2D) direct numerical simulation has been performed here on a corrugated airfoil at various angles of attack (0°, +5°, -5°) and Reynolds number of 280 to 6700. The objective is to analyse the pressure variation inside the corrugations and correlate it to the vortex movement across the corrugations and the overall aerodynamic characteristics of the corrugated airfoil. The flow characteristics have been examined based on the local Strouhal numbers in the corrugations of the airfoil. It is observed that the pressure variation in each corrugation is the result of vortex merging and separation in the corrugation which plays a major role in changing the flow characteristics. The Strouhal number of the flow is dictated by the most dominant local Strouhal number. The numerical results are further compared with experimental results obtained using particle image velocimetry, and the two set of results are found to match well. These results are significant because they elucidate the effect of corrugation, angle of attack, and Reynolds number on flow over a corrugated airfoil.     

LES-based Study of the Roughness Effects on the Wake of a Circular Cylinder from Subcritical to Transcritical Reynolds Numbers

This paper investigates the effects of surface roughness on the flow past a circular cylinder at subcritical to transcritical Reynolds numbers. Large eddy simulations of the flow for sand grain roughness of size k/D = 0.02 are performed (D is the cylinder diameter). Results show that surface roughness triggers the transition to turbulence in the boundary layer at all Reynolds numbers, thus leading to an early separation caused by the increased momentum deficit, especially at transcritical Reynolds numbers. Even at subcritical Reynolds numbers, boundary layer instabilities are triggered in the roughness sublayer and eventually lead to the transition to turbulence. The early separation at transcritical Reynolds numbers leads to a wake topology similar to that of the subcritical regime, resulting in an increased drag coefficient and lower Strouhal number. Turbulent statistics in the wake are also affected by roughness; the Reynolds stresses are larger due to the increased turbulent kinetic energy production in the boundary layer and separated shear layers close to the cylinder shoulders.     

Transonic crossflow of condensing wet steam past a cylinder

The shadow and interferometric methods and the laser probe method are used to investigate crossflow past a cylinder on the free-stream Mach number interval M _a =0.5–1.2 for subcritical Reynolds numbers Re _d and various initial steam states. Detailed pressure distributions are obtained and the pressure fluctuations on the cylinder surface are measured. The dependence of the Strouhal number on the velocity and thermodynamic parameters of the flow are determined. In single-phase steam flow past a cylinder the greatest fluctuations occur in the separation zone in regimes corresponding to transonic drag crisis. It is shown that spontaneous condensation in the turbulent wake and local supersonic zones may cause an increase in the periodic pressure fluctuations in the separation zone, the maximum increase in the fluctuations being noted when the critical pressure ratio is reached at the rear of the cylinder. The initial wetness of the steam has the greatest effect on the periodic separation characteristics at subsonic flow velocities, and in the case of supersonic flow leads to a substantial increase in the level of the low-frequency pressure fluctuations at the front of the cylinder.(deceased)Moscow. Translated from Izvestiya Rossiiskoi Akademii Nauk, Mekhanika Zhidkosti i Gaza, No. 6, pp. 118–138, November–December, 1994.     

Simulation of vortex shedding including blockage by the random-vortex and other methods

Converged simulations of vortex shedding from a circular cylinder at a Reynolds number of 100 have been computed by the random-vortex method incorporating the influence of blockage. The results are compared with converged finite-element and spectral methods and close agreement for Strouhal number is obtained. Forces are, however, in less close agreement, particularly the fluctuating lift force. Strouhal numbers from simulations with zero blockage for Reynolds numbers between 60 and 180 are seen to be in very close agreement with experiments which are said to be effectively two-dimensional. In this range the Strouhal number changes from 0·135 to 0·191. There are no corresponding experimental measurements for force.     

Entry region of louvered fin heat exchangers

The dominant thermal resistance for most compact heat exchangers occurs on the gas side and as such an understanding of the gas side flowfield is needed before improving current designs. Louvered fins are commonly used in many compact heat exchangers to increase the surface area and initiate new boundary layer growth. For this study, detailed flowfield measurements were made in the entry region of several louvered fin geometries whereby the louver angle, ratio of fin pitch to louver pitch, and Reynolds number were all varied. In addition to mean velocity measurements, time-resolved velocity measurements were made to quantify unsteady effects.

The results indicated larger fin pitches resulted in lower average flow angles in the louver passages and longer development lengths. Larger louver angles with a constant ratio of fin pitch to louver pitch resulted in higher average flow angles and shorter development lengths. As the Reynolds number increased, longer development lengths were required and higher average flow angles occurred as compared with a lower Reynolds number case. Time-resolved velocity measurements indicated some flow periodicity behind the fully developed louver for a range of Reynolds numbers. The Strouhal number of these fluctuations was constant for a given louver geometry, but the value increased with increasing fin pitch.     

棱柱绕流流动的数值模拟

利用数值方法对长宽比为1／3, 1和3的棱柱绕流在雷诺数为100的非稳态流动特性进行了分析和研究。采用有限体积法对棱柱绕流的二维流动N-S方程进行离散求解,分析和研究了非稳态的棱柱绕流流场,升力系数,阻力系数和涡动特性,数值模拟的结果与相关文献的数据比较吻合。通过上述研究能够为了解棱柱绕流的非稳态流动特性提供有力的帮助。而对棱柱三维流动的模拟分析和对雷诺数的变化对棱柱流动特性的影响进行研究,将为掌握棱柱绕流的工程特性打下基础。