Instantaneous flow field above the free end of finite-height cylinders and prisms

The flow above the free ends of surface-mounted finite-height circular cylinders and square prisms was studied experimentally using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Cylinders and prisms with aspect ratios of AR = 9, 7, 5, and 3 were tested at a Reynolds number of Re = 4.2 × 10⁴. The bodies were mounted normal to a ground plane and were partially immersed in a turbulent zero-pressure-gradient boundary layer, where the boundary layer thickness relative to the body width was δ/D = 1.6. PIV measurements were made above the free ends of the bodies in a vertical plane aligned with the flow centreline. The present PIV results provide insight into the effects of aspect ratio and body shape on the instantaneous flow field. The recirculation zone under the separated shear layer is larger for the square prism of AR = 3 compared to the more slender prism of AR = 9. Also, for a square prism with low aspect ratio (AR = 3), the influence of the reverse flow over the free end surface becomes more significant compared to that for a higher aspect ratio (AR = 9). For the circular cylinder, a cross-stream vortex forms within the recirculation zone. As the aspect ratio of the cylinder decreases, the reattachment point of the separated flow on the free end surface moves closer to the trailing edge. For both the square prism and circular cylinder cases, the instantaneous velocity vector field and associated in-plane vorticity field revealed small-scale structures mostly generated by the separated shear layer.     

Influence of aspect ratio on the flow above the free end of a surface-mounted finite cylinder

The flow above the free end of a surface-mounted finite-height cylinder was studied in a low-speed wind tunnel using particle image velocimetry (PIV). Velocity measurements were made in vertical and horizontal measurement planes above the free end of finite cylinders of aspect ratios AR = 9, 7, 5 and 3, at a Reynolds number of Re = 4.2 × 10⁴. The relative thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane was δ/D = 1.7. Flow separating from the leading edge formed a prominent recirculation zone on the free-end surface. The legs of the mean arch vortex contained within the recirculation zone terminate on the free-end surface on either side of the centreline. Separated flow from the leading edge attaches onto the upper surface of the cylinder along a prominent attachment line. Local separation downstream of the leading edge is also induced by the reverse flow and arch vortex circulation within the recirculation zone. As the cylinder aspect ratio is lowered from AR = 9 to AR = 3, the thickness of the recirculation zone increases, the arch vortex centre moves downstream and higher above the free-end surface, the attachment position moves downstream, and the termination points of the arch vortex move upstream. A lowering of the aspect ratio therefore results in accentuated curvature of the arch vortex line. Changes in aspect ratio also influence the vorticity generation in the near-wake region and the shape of the attachment line.     

Influence of rounding corners on the wake of a finite-length cylinder: An experimental study

This study aims to investigate experimentally the influence of rounding corners (r) as well as aspect ratio (AR) on the flow structures of a surface-mounted finite cylinder. The cylinders with sharp (r* = r/D = 0) and rounded corners (r*=0.167, 0.25 and 0.5) and aspect ratio or height-to-width/diameter ratio (AR = H/D) between 2 and 7 are utilized. The experiments are based on the five-hole probe and hot-wire measurements as well as the oil flow visualization. Wake measurements are made in an open return wind tunnel at the Reynolds number, Re = 1.6 × 10⁴, where Re is defined based on the side width/diameter (D) of the cylinder cross-section and the freestream velocity. It is found that r* and AR have significant effects on the flow structure from the perspective of wake topology, strength of streamwise vortices, and vortex shedding frequency. For all r* considered, the wake is characterized by a quadrupole type (both the tip and base vortices are present) at AR = 7, while a dipole type occurs for AR = 2 and 4 (the base vortices are absent). The strength (circulation) of the streamwise vortex structures is affected by r*. For all AR examined in the present study, the strengths of tip and base vortex structures decrease with increasing r*. The oil flow visualization demonstrates that the features of the horseshoe vortex are sensitive to r* and AR. With increasing r*, the location of the separation line moves downstream and the distance between horseshoe vortex legs decreases. Velocity measurements reveal that the downwash flow enhances with increasing r*. It is also found that the Strouhal number increases progressively by 60% as r* increases from 0 to 0.5, regardless of AR.     

Dynamic mode decomposition of turbulent cavity flows for self-sustained oscillations

Self-sustained oscillations in a cavity arise due to the unsteady separation of boundary layers at the leading edge. The dynamic mode decomposition method was employed to analyze the self-sustained oscillations. Two cavity flow data sets, with or without self-sustained oscillations and possessing thin or thick incoming boundary layers (Re_D = 12,000 and 3000), were analyzed. The ratios between the cavity depth and the momentum thickness (D/θ) were 40 and 4.5, respectively, and the cavity aspect ratio was L/D = 2. The dynamic modes extracted from the thick boundary layer indicated that the upcoming boundary layer structures and the shear layer structures along the cavity lip line coexisted with coincident frequency space but with different wavenumber space, whereas structures with a thin boundary layer showed complete coherence among the modes to produce self-sustained oscillations. This result suggests that the hydrodynamic resonances that gave rise to the self-sustained oscillations occurred if the upcoming boundary layer structures and the shear layer structures coincided, not only in frequencies, but also in wavenumbers. The influences of the cavity dimensions and incoming momentum thickness on the self-sustained oscillations were examined.     

Dynamic mode decomposition of turbulent cavity flows for self-sustained oscillations

Self-sustained oscillations in a cavity arise due to the unsteady separation of boundary layers at the leading edge. The dynamic mode decomposition method was employed to analyze the self-sustained oscillations. Two cavity flow data sets, with or without self-sustained oscillations and possessing thin or thick incoming boundary layers (Re_D = 12,000 and 3000), were analyzed. The ratios between the cavity depth and the momentum thickness (D/θ) were 40 and 4.5, respectively, and the cavity aspect ratio was L/D = 2. The dynamic modes extracted from the thick boundary layer indicated that the upcoming boundary layer structures and the shear layer structures along the cavity lip line coexisted with coincident frequency space but with different wavenumber space, whereas structures with a thin boundary layer showed complete coherence among the modes to produce self-sustained oscillations. This result suggests that the hydrodynamic resonances that gave rise to the self-sustained oscillations occurred if the upcoming boundary layer structures and the shear layer structures coincided, not only in frequencies, but also in wavenumbers. The influences of the cavity dimensions and incoming momentum thickness on the self-sustained oscillations were examined.     

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.     

Adverse pressure gradient turbulent flows over rough walls

An experimental study of a fully developed turbulent channel flow and an adverse pressure gradient (APG) turbulent channel flow over smooth and rough walls has been performed using a particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. The rough walls comprised two-dimensional square ribs of nominal height, k = 3 mm and pitch, p = 2k, 4k and 8k. It was observed that rib roughness enhanced the drag characteristics, and the degree of enhancement increased with increasing pitch. Similarly, rib roughness significantly increased the level of turbulence production, Reynolds stresses and wall-normal transport of turbulence kinetic energy and Reynolds shear stress well beyond the roughness sublayer. On the contrary, the distributions of the eddy viscosity, mixing length and streamwise transport of turbulence kinetic energy and Reynolds shear stress were reduced by wall roughness, especially in the outer layer. Adverse pressure gradient produced a further reduction in the mean velocity (in comparison to the results obtained in the parallel section) but increased the wall-normal extent across which the mean flow above the ribs is spatially inhomogeneous in the streamwise direction. APG also reinforced wall roughness in augmenting the equivalent sand grain roughness height. The combination of wall roughness and APG significantly increased turbulence production and Reynolds stresses except in the immediate vicinity of the rough walls. The transport velocities of the turbulence kinetic energy and Reynolds shear stress were also augmented by APG across most part of the rough-wall boundary layer. Further, APG enhanced the distributions of the eddy viscosity across most of the boundary layer but reduced the mixing length outside the roughness sublayer.     

The effect of incidence angle on the mean wake of surface-mounted finite-height square prisms

The mean wake of a surface-mounted finite-height square prism was studied experimentally in a low-speed wind tunnel to explore the combined effects of incidence angle (α) and aspect ratio (AR). Measurements of the mean wake velocity field were made with a seven-hole pressure probe for finite square prisms of AR = 9, 7, 5 and 3, at a Reynolds number of Re = 3.7 × 10⁴, for incidence angles from α = 0° to 45°. The relative thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane, compared to the prism width, was δ/D = 1.5. As the incidence angle increases from α = 0° to 15°, the mean recirculation zone shortens and the mean wake shifts in the direction opposite to that of the mean lift force. The downwash is also deflected to this side of the wake and the mean streamwise vortex structures in the upper part of the wake become strongly asymmetric. The shortest mean recirculation zone, and the greatest asymmetry in the mean wake, is found at the critical incidence angle of α_critical ≈ 15°. As the incidence angle increases from α = 15° to 45°, the mean recirculation zone lengthens and the mean streamwise vortex structures regain their symmetry. These vortices also elongate in the wall-normal direction and become contiguous with the horseshoe vortex trailing arms. The mean wake of the prism of AR = 3 has some differences, such as an absence of induced streamwise vorticity near the ground plane, which support its classification as lying below the critical aspect ratio for the present flow conditions.     

Experimental Investigation of the Log-Law for an Adverse Pressure Gradient Turbulent Boundary Layer Flow at Re θ = 10000

We present an experimental investigation of a turbulent boundary layer flow at a significant adverse pressure gradient at Reynolds number Re _θ ?=?10000 using large field PIV. The testcase is designed to start from a zero pressure gradient flow at Re _θ ?=?8000 with a distinct log-law region following a slowly rising adverse pressure gradient. This allows to reveal a breakdown of the log-law under the effect of the adverse pressure gradient. The region described by the log-law is progressively reduced in terms of y ^?+? and then joins into a modified log-law which gives a good fit to the data up to at least y/δ ₉₉?≈?0.2. The scaling in the overlap region is demonstrated using the mean velocity slope diagnostic function, enabled due to the high quality of the PIV data. Locally, the velocity profile is measured down to the wall using long-range microscopic PIV with particle tracking velocimetry to determine the wall shear stress directly in the adverse pressure gradient region.     

The effect of a wake-mounted splitter plate on the flow around a surface-mounted finite-height circular cylinder

The influence of a wake-mounted splitter plate on the flow around a surface-mounted circular cylinder of finite height was investigated experimentally using a low-speed wind tunnel. The experiments were conducted at a Reynolds number of Re=7.4×10⁴ for cylinder aspect ratios of AR=9, 7, 5 and 3. The thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane relative to the cylinder diameter was δ/D=1.5. The splitter plates were mounted on the wake centreline with negligible gap between the base of the cylinder and the leading edge of the plate. The lengths of the splitter plates, relative to the cylinder diameter, ranged from L/D=1 to 7, and the plate height was always equal to the cylinder height. Measurements of the mean drag force coefficient were obtained with a force balance, and measurements of the vortex shedding frequency were obtained with a single-component hot-wire probe situated in the wake of the cylinder–plate combination. Compared to the well-studied case involving an infinite circular cylinder, the splitter plate was found to be a less effective drag-reduction device for finite circular cylinders. Significant reduction in the mean drag coefficient was realized only for the finite circular cylinder of AR=9 with intermediate-length splitter plates of L/D=1–3. The mean drag coefficients of the other cylinders were almost unchanged. In terms of its effect on vortex shedding, a splitter plate of sufficient length was able to suppress Kármán vortex shedding for all of the finite circular cylinders tested. For AR=9, vortex shedding suppression occurred for L/D≥5, which is similar to the case of the infinite circular cylinder. For the smaller-aspect-ratio cylinders, however, the splitter plate was more effective than what occurs for the infinite circular cylinder: for AR=3, vortex shedding suppression occurred for all of the splitter plates tested (L/D≥1); for AR=5 and 7, vortex shedding suppression occurred for L/D≥1.5.     

Heat transfer and skin-friction in a turbulent boundary layer under a non-equilibrium longitudinal adverse pressure gradient

The experimental data on the effect of weak and moderate non-equilibrium adverse pressure gradients (APG) on the parameters of dynamic and thermal boundary layers are presented. The Reynolds number based on the momentum thickness at the beginning of the APG region was Re^** = 5500. The APG region was a slot channel with upper wall expansion angles from 0 to 14°. The profiles of the mean and fluctuation velocity components were measured using a single-component hot-wire anemometer. The friction coefficients were determined using two methods, namely, the indirect Clauser method and the direct method of weighting the lower wall region on a single-component strain-gage balance. The heat transfer coefficients were determined by a transient method using an IR camera. It is noticed that in the pressure gradient range realized the universal logarithmic region in the boundary layer profile is conserved. The values of the relative (divided by the parameters in zero gradient flow at the same value of Re^**) friction and heat transfer coefficients, together with the Reynolds analogy factor, are determined as functions of the longitudinal pressure gradient. The values of the relative friction coefficient reduced to c_f/c_f0 = 0.7 and those of the heat transfer to St/St₀ = 0.9. A maximum value of the Reynolds analogy factor (St/St₀)/(c_f/c_f0) = 1.16 was reached for the pressure gradient parameter β = 2.9.     

On vortex shedding from low aspect ratio dual step cylinders

A dual-step cylinder is comprised of two cylinders of different diameters. A large diameter cylinder (D) with low aspect ratio (L/D) is attached to the mid-span of a small diameter cylinder (d). The present study investigates the effect of Reynolds number (Re_D) and L/D on dual step cylinder wake development for D/d=2, 0.2≤L/D≤3, and two Reynolds numbers, Re_D=1050 and 2100. Experiments have been performed in a water flume facility utilizing flow visualization, Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV). The results show that vortex shedding occurs from both the large and small diameter cylinders for 1≤L/D≤3 at Re_D=2100 and 2≤L/D≤3 at Re_D=1050. At these conditions, large cylinder vortices predominantly form vortex loops in the wake and small cylinder vortices form half-loop vortex connections. At lower aspect ratios, vortex shedding from the large cylinder ceases, with the dominant frequency in the large cylinder wake attributed to the passage of vortex filaments connecting small cylinder vortices. At these lower aspect ratios, the presence of the large cylinder induces periodic vortex dislocations. Increasing L/D increases the frequency of occurrence of vortex dislocations and decreases the dominant frequency in the large cylinder wake. The identified changes in wake topology are related to substantial variations in the location of boundary layer separation on the large cylinder, and, consequently, changes in the size of the vortex formation region. The results also show that the Reynolds number has a substantial effect on wake vortex shedding frequency, which is more profound than that expected for a uniform cylinder.     

Near-wake flow characteristics of a circular cylinder close to a wall

Flow characteristics in the near wake of a circular cylinder located close to a fully developed turbulent boundary layer are investigated experimentally using particle image velocimetry (PIV). The Reynolds number based on the cylinder diameter (D) is 1.2×10⁴ and the incident boundary layer thickness (δ) is 0.4D. Detailed velocity and vorticity fields in the wake region (0<x/D<6) are given for various gap heights (S) between the cylinder and the wall, with S/D ranging from 0.1 to 1.0. Both the ensemble-averaged (including the mean velocity vectors and Reynolds stress) and the instantaneous flow fields are strongly dependent on S/D. Results reveal that for S/D⩾0.3, the flow is characterized by the periodic, Kármán-like vortex shedding from the upper and lower sides of the cylinder. The shed vortices and their evolution are revealed by analyzing the instantaneous flow fields using various vortex identification methods, including Galilean decomposition of velocity vectors, calculation of vorticity and swirling strength. For small and intermediate gap ratios (S/D⩽0.6), the wake flow develops a distinct asymmetry about the cylinder centreline; however, some flow quantities, such as the Strouhal number and the convection velocity of the shed vortex, keep roughly constant and virtually independent of S/D.     

Wakes of elliptical cylinders at low Reynolds number

The wakes of elliptical cylinders are numerically investigated at a Reynolds number Re_D = 150. ANSYS-Fluent, based on the finite volume method, is used to simulate two-dimensional Newtonian fluid flow. The cylinder cross-sectional aspect ratio (AR) is varied from 0.25 to 1.0 (circular cylinder), and the angle of attack (α) of the cylinder is changed as α = 0° – 90°. With the changes in AR and α, three distinct wake patterns (patterns I, II, III) are observed, associated with different characteristics of fluid forces. Steady wake (pattern I) is characterised by two steady bubbles forming behind the cylinder, occurring at AR < 0.37 and α < 2.5°. Time-mean drag and fluctuating lift coefficients are small. Pattern II refers to Karman wake followed by steady wake (AR ≥ 0.37 – 0.67, depending on α) with the Karman street transitioning to two steady shear layers downstream. An inflection angle α_i is identified where the time-mean drag of the elliptical cylinder is identical to that of a circular cylinder. Pattern III is the Karman wake followed by secondary wake (AR ≤ 0.67, α > 52°), where the Karman street forming behind the cylinder is modified to a secondary vortex street with a low frequency. The Time-mean drag coefficient is maximum for this pattern.     

Thermal study of an array of inline horizontal cylinders below a nearly adiabatic ceiling

Steady state two-dimensional free convection heat transfer from a horizontal, isothermal cylinder in a horizontal array of cylinders consists of three isothermal cylinders, located underneath a nearly adiabatic ceiling is studied experimentally. A Mach–Zehnder interferometer is used to determine thermal field and smoke test is made to visualize flow field. Effects of the cylinders spacing to its diameter (S/D), and cylinder distance from ceiling to its diameter (L/D) on heat transfer from the centered cylinder are investigated for Rayleigh numbers from 1500 to 6000. Experiments are performed for an inline array configuration of horizontal cylinders of diameters D = 13 mm. Results indicate that due to the nearly adiabatic ceiling and neighboring cylinders, thermal plume resulted from the centered cylinder separates from cylinder surface even for high L/D values and forming recirculation regions. By decreasing the space ratio S/D, the recirculation flow strength increases. Also, by decreasing S/D, boundary layers of neighboring cylinders combine and form a developing flow between cylinders. The strength of developing flow depends on the cylinders Rayleigh number and S/D ratio. Due to the developing flow between cylinders, the vortex flow on the top of the centered cylinder appears for all L/D ratios and this vortex influences the value of local Nusselt number distribution around the cylinder.Variation of average Nusselt number of the centered cylinder depends highly on L/D and the trend with S/D depends on the value of Rayleigh number.     

Interaction of circular cylinder wake with a short asymmetrically located downstream plate

This study reveals the interaction patterns of separated shear layers from a circular cylinder with a short downstream plate and their reflection on the frequency and the formation length of the vortices from the cylinder as a function of plate location relative to the cylinder. The effect of horizontal (G/D) and vertical (Z/D) distances between the cylinder and the plate on the near wake is studied via Digital Particle Image Velocimetry (DPIV) in a water channel for Reynolds numbers of 200, 400 and 750, based on the cylinder diameter D. It is shown that the interaction of wake with the plate of length D can be categorized depending on the horizontal and the vertical distances between the cylinder and the plate. For the vertical distance range of Z/D ≤ 0.7, there is a critical horizontal spacing before which the shear layers from the cylinder are inhibited to form vortices in front of the plate. Resulting elongated recirculation region between the plate and the cylinder suggests modification of the absolutely unstable near wake of free circular cylinder in favor of convective instability. Z/D = 0.9 provides a passage from Z/D ≤ 0.7 to ≥1.1 and is associated with a dominant effect on the near-wake characteristics of interaction of shear layers from the cylinder with those from the downstream plate. For Z/D ≥ 1.1, there is again, yet a smaller critical horizontal spacing after which vortices interact with decreased downstream plate interference. In this vertical separation distance range, a gap flow between the plate and the cylinder plays a determining role on the formation length and St number of vortices for small horizontal spacing values.     

Influence of aspect ratio on the mean flow field of a surface-mounted finite-height square prism

The flow around surface-mounted, finite-height square prisms at a Reynolds number of Re = 4.2 × 10⁴ was investigated experimentally in a low-speed wind tunnel using particle image velocimetry. The thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane relative to the width of the prism was δ/D = 1.5. Four prism aspect ratios were tested, AR = 9, 7, 5, and 3, to study how the aspect ratio influences the flow field close to the prism. Upstream of the prism, lowering the aspect ratio from AR = 9 to AR = 3 causes the stagnation point on the upstream face to move closer to the free end, but there is no influence on the location and strength of the horseshoe vortex. Lowering the aspect ratio from AR = 9 to AR = 3 causes the cross-stream vortices in the upper and lower halves of the wake to move downstream and upstream, respectively; the latter vortex is absent for AR = 3, suggesting this prism sits below the critical aspect ratio. Above the free end of the prism, within the region of separated flow, lowering the aspect ratio from AR = 9 to AR = 3 shifts the location of the cross-stream vortex farther downstream. For the prism of AR = 3, reverse flow above the free end is stronger yet more unsteady compared to the more slender prisms, while the streamwise edge vortices are smaller and weaker.     

Equilibrium states in homogeneous turbulence with baroclinic instability

The evolution of energies and fluxes in homogeneous turbulence with baroclinic instability is analyzed using the linear theory. The mean flow corresponds to a vertical shear having a uniform mean velocity gradient, ?U _i /?x _j  = S δ _i1 δ _j3, a system rotation about the vertical axis with rate Ω, Ω _i  = Ωδ _i3, and uniform buoyancy gradients in the spanwise ${(\partial B{/}\partial x_2\,{=}\, N_h^2\,{=}\,-2\Omega S)}The evolution of energies and fluxes in homogeneous turbulence with baroclinic instability is analyzed using the linear theory. The mean flow corresponds to a vertical shear having a uniform mean velocity gradient, ∂U _i /∂x _j  = S δ _i1 δ _j3, a system rotation about the vertical axis with rate Ω, Ω _i  = Ωδ _i3, and uniform buoyancy gradients in the spanwise (?B/?x₂ = N_h² = -2WS){(\partial B{/}\partial x_2\,{=}\, N_h^2\,{=}\,-2\Omega S)} and vertical (?B/?x₃ = N_v²){(\partial B{/}\partial x_3\,{=}\,N_v^2)} directions. Computations based on the rapid distortion theory (RDT) are performed for several values of the rotation number R = 2Ω/S and the Richardson number R_i = N_v²/S² < 1{R_i\,{=}\,N_v^2/S^2 <1 }. It is shown that, during an initial phase, the energies and the buoyancy fluxes are sensitive to the effects of pressure and viscosity. At large time, the ratios of energies, as well as the normalized fluxes, evolve to an asymptotically constant value, while the pressure–strain correlation scaled with the product of the turbulent kinetic energy by the shear rate approaches zero. Accordingly, an analytical parametric study based on the “pressure-less” approach (PLA) is also presented. The analytical study indicates that, when R _i  < 1, there is an exponential instability and equilibrium states of turbulence, in agreement with RDT. The energies and the buoyancy fluxes grow exponentially for large times with the same rate (γ in St units). The asymptotic value of the ratios of energies yielded by RDT is well described by its PLA counterpart derived analytically. At R _i  = 0, the asymptotic value of γ increases with increasing R approaching 2 for high rotation rates. At low rotation rates, an important contribution to the kinetic energy comes from the streamwise kinetic energy, whereas, at high rotation rates, the contribution of the vertical kinetic energy is dominant. When 0 < R _i  < 1 and R 1 0{R\ne 0}, the asymptotic value of γ decreases as R _i increases so as it becomes zero at R _i  = 1.     

FLOW VISUALIZATION AROUND A CIRCULAR CYLINDER NEAR TO A PLANE WALL

Flow visualization, particle image velocimetry and hot-film anemometry have been employed to study the fluid flow around a circular cylinder near to a plane wall for Reynolds numbers, based on cylinder diameter, between 1200 and 4960. The effect of changing the gap between the cylinder and the wall, G, from G=0 (cylinder touching the wall) to G/D=2, was investigated. It is shown that the flow may be characterized by four distinct regions. (a) For very small gaps, G/D≤0·125, the gap flow is suppressed or extremely weak, and separation of the boundary layer occurs both upstream and downstream of the cylinder. Although there is no regular vortex shedding, there is a periodicity associated with the outer shear-layer. (b) In the “small gap ratio” region, 0·125<G/D<0·5, the flow is very similar to that for very small gaps, except that there is now a pronounced pairing between the inner shear-layer shed from the cylinder and the wall boundary layer. (c) Intermediate gap ratios, 0·5<G/D<0·75, are characterized by the onset of vortex shedding from the cylinder. (d) For the fourth region, characterized by the largest gap ratios considered, G/D>1·0, there is no separation of the wall boundary layer, either upstream or downstream of the cylinder.