Dependence of the wake on inclination of a stationary cylinder

Abstract

Three-dimensional vorticity in the wake of an inclined stationary circular cylinder was measured simultaneously using a multi-hot wire vorticity probe over a streamwise range of x/d = 10–40. The study aimed to examine the dependence of the wake characteristics on cylinder inclination angle α (=0°–45°). The validity of the independence principle (IP) for vortex shedding was also examined. It was found that the spanwise mean velocity $\overline{W} ,$ which represents the three-dimensionality of the wake flow, increases monotonically with α. The root-mean-square (rms) values of the streamwise (u) and spanwise (w) velocities and the three vorticity components decrease significantly with the increase of α, whereas the transverse velocity (v) does not follow the same trend. The vortex shedding frequency decreases with the increase of α. The Strouhal number (St _N), obtained by using the velocity component normal to the cylinder axis, remains approximately a constant within the experimental uncertainty (±8%) when α is smaller than about 40°. The autocorrelation coefficients ρ _u and ρ _v of the u and v velocity signals show apparent periodicity for all inclination angles. With increasing α, ρ _u and ρ _v decrease and approach zero quickly. In contrast, the autocorrelation coefficient ρ _w of w increases with α in the near wake, implying an enhanced three-dimensionality of the wake.