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Statistical axisymmetry of the turbulent sphere wake

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Abstract

The turbulent sphere wake is studied experimentally at \({Re}=1.9\,10^4\) using an axisymmetric support that holds the body from upstream. This setup allows the axisymmetry of the mean wake and preserves the global mode activity at \({St}=0.19\). The analysis of the PIV snapshots in a cross-flow plane indicates that this axisymmetry is due to an equal exploration of all the azimuths by the instantaneous wake. Using conditional averaging techniques, we extract the flow topology associated with one azimuthal direction; the obtained wake shows strong similarities with the unsteady planar symmetric flow reported in the laminar regime. In addition, the use of perturbations of the axisymmetry leads to modifications of the azimuthal statistics: The periodicity of the perturbation is recovered in the wake since one or several preferred orientations are identified. Hence, such statistics pave the way to multi-stable behaviors in three-dimensional wakes.

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Notes

  1. The domain of integration is limited to get rid of the proper wake of the disturbances that are added in Sect. 4.2.

  2. For this configuration only, the disturbance is held from the side of the test section.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unité de Mécanique, Ecole Nationale Supérieure de Techniques Avancées, ParisTech, 828 Boulevard des Maréchaux, 91762, Palaiseau Cedex, France

    M. Grandemange & O. Cadot

  2. Centre Technique de Vélizy, PSA Peugeot Citroën, 2 Route de Gisy, 78943, Vélizy-Villacoublay Cedex, France

    M. Grandemange & M. Gohlke

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  1. M. Grandemange
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  2. M. Gohlke
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  3. O. Cadot
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Correspondence to O. Cadot.

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Grandemange, M., Gohlke, M. & Cadot, O. Statistical axisymmetry of the turbulent sphere wake. Exp Fluids 55, 1838 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-014-1838-x

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