Abstract
This study investigates the pattern of flow past two staggered array cylinders using the spectral element method by varying the distance between the cylinders and the angle of incidence (α) at low Reynolds numbers (Re = 100-800). Six flow patterns are identified as Shear layer reattachment (SLR), Induced separation (IS), Vortex impingement (VI), Synchronized vortex shedding (SVS), Vortex pairing and enveloping (VPE), and Vortex pairing splitting and enveloping (VPSE). These flow patterns can be transformed from one to another by changing the distance between the cylinders, the angle of incidence, or Re. SLR, IS and VI flow patterns appear in regimes with small angles of incidence (i.e., α ≤ 30° ) and hold only a single von Karman vortex shedding in a wake with one shedding frequency. SVS, VPE and VPSE flow patterns appear in regimes with large angles of incidence (i.e., 30° ≤ α ≤ 50° ) and present two synchronized von Karman vortices. Quantitative analyses and physical interpretation are also conducted to determine the generation mechanisms of the said flow patterns.
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Recommended by Associate Editor Jungil Lee
Li-Chieh Hsu is currently an Associate Professor of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the National Yunlin University of Science and Technology in Taiwan. His research interests include the spectral element method, adaptive meshes, vortex flow, fluid dynamics around cylinders, fluidstructure interactions, boiling heat transfer, and electronics cooling.
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Hsu, LC., Chen, CL. & Ye, JZ. A study of flow patterns for staggered cylinders at low Reynolds number by spectral element method. J Mech Sci Technol 31, 2765–2780 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-017-0520-7
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12206-017-0520-7