Hostname: page-component-7c8c6479df-995ml Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-03-28T12:05:20.043Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

An experimental investigation of the flow around a circular cylinder: influence of aspect ratio

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 April 2006

C. Norberg
Affiliation:
Department of Thermo- and Fluid Dynamics, Chalmers University of Technology, S-412 96, Göteborg, Sweden

Abstract

The investigation is concentrated on two important quantities – the Strouhal number and the mean base suction coefficient, both measured at the mid-span position. Reynolds numbers from about 50 to 4 × 104 were investigated. Different aspect ratios, at low blockage ratios, were achieved by varying the distance between circular end plates (end plate diameter ratios between 10 and 30). It was not possible, by using these end plates in uniform flow and at very large aspect ratios, to produce parallel shedding all over the laminar shedding regime. However, parallel shedding at around mid-span was observed throughout this regime in cases when there was a slight but symmetrical increase in the free-stream velocity towards both ends of the cylinder. At higher Re, the results at different aspect ratios were compared with those of a ‘quasi-infinite cylinder’ and the required aspect ratio to reach conditions independent of this parameter, within the experimental uncertainties, are given. For instance, aspect ratios as large as L/D = 60–70 were needed in the range Re ≈ 4 × 103–104. With the smallest relative end plate diameter and for aspect ratios smaller than 7, a bi-stable flow switching between regular vortex shedding and ‘irregular flow’ was found at intermediate Reynolds number ranges in the subcritical regime (Re ≈ 2 × 103).

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1994 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Albarègde, P. & Monkewitz, P. A. 1992 A model for the formation of oblique shedding and ‘chevron’ patterns in cylinder wakes. Phys. Fluids A 4, 744756.Google Scholar
Batcho, P. & Karniadakis, G. E. 1991 Chaotic transport in two- and three-dimensional flow past a cylinder. Phys. Fluids A 3, 10511062.Google Scholar
Bearman, P. W. 1969 On vortex shedding from a circular cylinder in the critical Reynolds number regime. J. Fluid Mech. 37, 577585.Google Scholar
Blevins, R. D. 1985 The effect of sound on vortex shedding from cylinders. J. Fluid Mech. 161, 217237.Google Scholar
Bloor, S. 1964 The transition to turbulence in the wake of a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 19, 290304.Google Scholar
Bruun, H. H. & Davies, P. O. A. L. 1975 An experimental investigation of the unsteady pressure forces on a circular cylinder in a turbulent cross flow. J. Sound Vib. 40, 535559.Google Scholar
Cowdrey, C. F. 1963 A note on the use of end plates to prevent three-dimensional flow at the ends of bluff cylinders. ARC Current Papers 683.Google Scholar
Dennis, S. C. R. & Chang, G.-Z. 1970 Numerical solutions for steady flow past a circular cylinder at Reynolds numbers up to 100. J. Fluid Mech. 42, 471489.Google Scholar
Eisenlohr, H. 1990 Ein kurzer oder ein langer Zylinder: Worin liegt der Unterschied für die Kármánshe Wirbelstraße? Mitt. Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung, Göttingen 98.Google Scholar
Eisenlohr, H. & Eckelmann, H. 1989 Vortex splitting and its consequences in the vortex street wake of cylinders at low Reynolds numbers. Phys. Fluids A 1, 189192.Google Scholar
Fage, A. 1913 Determination of the pressure distribution round a cylinder. Adv. Commun. Aero. R & M 106.Google Scholar
Fox, T. A. & West, G. S. 1990 On the use of end plates with circular cylinders. Exps Fluids 9, 237239.Google Scholar
Gerich, D. 1986 Über die Veränderung der Kármánschen Wirbelstraße durch Endscheiben an einem Kreiszylinder. Mitt. Max-Planck-Institut für Strömungsforschung, Göttingen 81.Google Scholar
Gerich, D. & Eckelmann, H. 1982 Influence of end plates and free ends on the shedding frequency of circular cylinders. J. Fluid Mech. 122, 109121.Google Scholar
Gerrard, J. H. 1965 A disturbance-sensitive Reynolds number range of the flow past a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 22, 187196.Google Scholar
Gowda, B. H. L. 1975 Some measurements on the phenomenon of vortex shedding and induced vibrations of circular cylinders. Deutsche Luft- und Raumfahrt, Forschungsbericht 75–01.
Graham, J. M. R. 1993 Report on the session comparing computation of flow past circular cylinders with experimental data. In Proc. IUTAM Sym p. Bluff-Body Wakes, Dynamics and Instabilities, 7–11 September 1992, Göttingen, pp. 317323. Springer.
Hammache, M. & Gharib, M. 1989 A novel method to promote parallel vortex shedding in the wake of circular cylinders. Phys. Fluids A 1, 16111614.Google Scholar
Hammache, M. & Gharib, M. 1991 An experimental study of the parallel and oblique vortex shedding from circular cylinders. J. Fluid Mech. 232, 567590.Google Scholar
Homann, F. 1936 Der Einfluss grösser Zähigkeit bei der Strömung um den Zylinder und um die Kugel. Z. angew. Math. Mech. 6, 153164.Google Scholar
Kato, C. & Ikegawa, M. 1991 Large eddy simulation of unsteady turbulent wake of a circular cylinder using the finite element method. Advances in Numerical Simulation of Turbulent Flows ASME 1991, FED 117, pp. 49–56.
Keefe, R. T. 1961 An investigation of the fluctuating forces acting on a stationary circular cylinder in a subsonic stream, and of the associated sound field. UTIA Rep. 76.Google Scholar
Kubo, Y., Miyazaki, M. & Kato, K. 1989 Effects of end plates and blockage of structural members on drag forces. J. Wind Engng Indust. Aero. 32, 329342.Google Scholar
Köunig, M., Eisenlohr, H. & Eckelmann, H. 1990 The fine structure in the Strouhal–Reynolds number relationship of the laminar wake of a circular cylinder. Phys. Fluids A 2, 16071614.Google Scholar
Köunig, M., Eisenlohr, H. & Eckelmann, H. 1992 Visualization of the spanwise cellular structure of the laminar wake of wall-bounded circular cylinders. Phys. Fluids A 4, 869872.Google Scholar
Lee, T. & Budwig, R. 1991 A study of the effect of aspect ratio on vortex shedding behind circular cylinders. Phys. Fluids A 3, 309315.Google Scholar
Linke, W. 1931 Neue Messungen zur Aerodynamik des Zylinders, insbesondere seines reinen Reibungswiderstandes. Z. Phys. 22, 900914.Google Scholar
Mathis, C., Provansal, M. & Boyer, L. 1984 The Bénard–von Kármán instability: an experimental study near the threshold. J. Phys. Lett. Paris 45, 483491.Google Scholar
Miller, G. D. & Williamson, C. H. K. 1993 The control of transient and steady-state three-dimensional shedding patterns using variable suction end boundary conditions. Exps. Fluids (submitted).Google Scholar
Nishioka, M. & Sato, H. 1974 Measurements of velocity distributions in the wake of a circular cylinder at low Reynolds numbers. J. Fluid Mech. 65, 97112.Google Scholar
Norberg, C. 1987 Effects of Reynolds number and a low-intensity freestream turbulence intensity on the flow around a circular cylinder. Publ. 87/2 Dept. Applied Thermodynamics and Fluid Mechanics, Chalmers University of Technology.
Norberg, C. 1989 An experimental study of the circular cylinder in cross flow: transition around Re = 5103. In Proc. 4th Asian Congress of Fluid Mechanics, Suppl. Vol. pp. C240C243. University of Hong Kong.
Norberg, C. 1993 Pressure forces on a circular cylinder in cross flow. In Proc. IUTAM Sym p. Bluff-Body Wakes, Dynamics and Instabilities, 7–11 September 1992, Göttingen, pp. 275278. Springer.
Relf, E. F. 1914 Discussion of results of measurements of the resistance of wires, with some additional tests on the resistance of wires of small diameter. Adv. Commun. Aero. R & M 102.Google Scholar
Roshko, A. 1954 On the development of turbulent wakes from vortex streets. NACA Rep. 1191.Google Scholar
Roshko, A. & Fiszdon, W. 1969 On the persistence of transition in the near-wake. In Problems of Hydrodynamics and Continuum Mechanics, pp. 606619. Society of Industrial and Applied Mathematics, Philadelphia.
Slaouti, A. & Gerrard, J. H. 1981 An experimental investigation of the end effects on the wake of a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 112, 297314.Google Scholar
Stansby, P. K. 1974 The effects of end plates on the base pressure coefficient of a circular cylinder. Aero. J. 78, 3637.Google Scholar
Stäger, R. & Eckelmann, H. 1991 The effect of endplates on the shedding frequency of circular cylinders in the irregular range. Phys. Fluids A 3, 21162121.Google Scholar
Szepessy, S. 1993 On the control of circular cylinder flow by end plates. Euro. J. Mech. B/Fluids 12, 217244.Google Scholar
Szepessy, S. & Bearman, P. W. 1992 Aspect ratio and end plate effects on vortex shedding from a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 234, 191217.Google Scholar
Tamura, T., Ohta, I. & Kuwahara, K. 1990 On the reliability of two-dimensional simulation for unsteady flows around a cylinder-type structure. J. Wind Engng Indust. Aero. 35, 275298.Google Scholar
Thom, A. 1928 An investigation of fluid flow in two dimensions. Aero Res. Commun. R & M 1194.Google Scholar
atta, Van C. W., & Gharib, M. 1987 Ordered and chaotic vortex streets behind circular cylinders at low Reynolds numbers. J. Fluid Mech. 174, 113133.Google Scholar
West, G. S. & Apelt, C. J. 1982 The effects of tunnel blockage and aspect ratio on the mean flow past a circular cylinder with Reynolds numbers between 104 and 105. J. Fluid Mech. 114, 361377.Google Scholar
Wieselsberger, C. 1922 Weitere Feststellungen über die Gesetze des Flüssigkeitsund Luftwiderstandes. Z. Phys. 23, 219224.Google Scholar
Williamson, C. H. K. 1988a Defining a universal and continuous Strouhal–Reynolds number relationship for the laminar vortex shedding of a circular cylinder. Phys. Fluids 31, 27422744.Google Scholar
Williamson, C. H. K. 1988b The existence of two stages in the transition to three-dimensionality of a cylinder wake. Phys. Fluids 31, 31653168.Google Scholar
Williamson, C. H. K. 1989 Oblique and parallel modes of vortex shedding in the wake of a circular cylinder at low Reynolds numbers. J. Fluid Mech. 206, 579627.Google Scholar
Williamson, C. H. K. 1992 The natural and forced formation of spot-like ‘vortex dislocations’ in the transition of a wake. J. Fluid Mech. 243, 393441.Google Scholar
Williamson, C. H. K. 1993 Three-dimensional phenomena in bluff body wakes: Part 1: 3-D phase dynamics, Part 2: wave interactions in the far wake. In Proc. IUTAM Sym p. Bluff-Body Wakes, Dynamics and Instabilities, 7–11 September 1992, Göttingen, pp. 333336. Springer.
Williamson, C. H. K. & Roshko, A. 1990 Measurements of base pressure in the wake of a cylinder at low Reynolds numbers. Z. Flugwiss. Weltraumforschung 14, 3846.Google Scholar