Measurements of velocity fields in finite cylinder arrays with and without tip clearance

The velocity field in a finite cylinder array was investigated experimentally in a water towing tank and an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV). The experimental system consisted of a staggered cylinder array having 14 rows to permit streamwise evolution of the flow. The boundaries were manipulated to create several global flow configurations. Three basic configurations were studied: a globally unidirectional flow, a flow with partial lateral blockage at the inlet and outlet planes, and a flow with the top boundary separated from the cylinders creating a tip clearance. The three components of the velocity vector were measured at various points within the model. Time-averaged results are presented for the different flow configurations. The results provide insight into the development of the flow field in cases of a finite array with complex geometry and boundary effects.