Dynamics and stability of the wake behind tandem cylinders sliding along a wall

2013 ◽  
Vol 722 ◽  
pp. 291-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Rao ◽  
M. C. Thompson ◽  
T. Leweke ◽  
K. Hourigan

AbstractThe dynamics and stability of the flow past two cylinders sliding along a wall in a tandem configuration is studied numerically for Reynolds numbers ($\mathit{Re}$) between 20 and 200, and streamwise separation distances between 0.1 and 10 cylinder diameters. For cylinders at close separations, the onset of unsteady two-dimensional flow is delayed to higher $\mathit{Re}$ compared with the case of a single sliding cylinder, while at larger separations, this transition occurs earlier. For Reynolds numbers above the threshold, shedding from both cylinders is periodic and locked. At intermediate separation distances, the wake frequency shifts to the subharmonic of the leading-cylinder shedding frequency, which appears to be due to a feedback cycle, whereby shed leading-cylinder vortices interact strongly with the downstream cylinder to influence subsequent leading-cylinder shedding two cycles later. In addition to the shedding frequency, the drag coefficients for the two cylinders are determined for both the steady and unsteady regimes. The three-dimensional stability of the flow is also investigated. It is found that, when increasing the Reynolds number at intermediate separations, an initial three-dimensional instability develops, which disappears at higher $\mathit{Re}$. The new two-dimensional steady flow again becomes unstable, but with a different three-dimensional instability mode. At very close spacings, when the two cylinders are effectively seen by the flow as a single body, and at very large spacings, when the cylinders form independent wakes, the flow characteristics are similar to those of a single cylinder sliding along a wall.

2017 ◽  
Vol 825 ◽  
pp. 631-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Romanò ◽  
Arash Hajisharifi ◽  
Hendrik C. Kuhlmann

The topology of the incompressible steady three-dimensional flow in a partially filled cylindrical rotating drum, infinitely extended along its axis, is investigated numerically for a ratio of pool depth to radius of 0.2. In the limit of vanishing Froude and capillary numbers, the liquid–gas interface remains flat and the two-dimensional flow becomes unstable to steady three-dimensional convection cells. The Lagrangian transport in the cellular flow is organised by periodic spiralling-in and spiralling-out saddle foci, and by saddle limit cycles. Chaotic advection is caused by a breakup of a degenerate heteroclinic connection between the two saddle foci when the flow becomes three-dimensional. On increasing the Reynolds number, chaotic streamlines invade the cells from the cell boundary and from the interior along the broken heteroclinic connection. This trend is made evident by computing the Kolmogorov–Arnold–Moser tori for five supercritical Reynolds numbers.


2011 ◽  
Vol 681 ◽  
pp. 411-433 ◽  
Author(s):  
HEMANT K. CHAURASIA ◽  
MARK C. THOMPSON

A detailed numerical study of the separating and reattaching flow over a square leading-edge plate is presented, examining the instability modes governing transition from two- to three-dimensional flow. Under the influence of background noise, experiments show that the transition scenario typically is incompletely described by either global stability analysis or the transient growth of dominant optimal perturbation modes. Instead two-dimensional transition effectively can be triggered by the convective Kelvin–Helmholtz (KH) shear-layer instability; although it may be possible that this could be described alternatively in terms of higher-order optimal perturbation modes. At least in some experiments, observed transition occurs by either: (i) KH vortices shedding downstream directly and then almost immediately undergoing three-dimensional transition or (ii) at higher Reynolds numbers, larger vortical structures are shed that are also three-dimensionally unstable. These two paths lead to distinctly different three-dimensional arrangements of vortical flow structures. This paper focuses on the mechanisms underlying these three-dimensional transitions. Floquet analysis of weakly periodically forced flow, mimicking the observed two-dimensional quasi-periodic base flow, indicates that the two-dimensional vortex rollers shed from the recirculation region become globally three-dimensionally unstable at a Reynolds number of approximately 380. This transition Reynolds number and the predicted wavelength and flow symmetries match well with those of the experiments. The instability appears to be elliptical in nature with the perturbation field mainly restricted to the cores of the shed rollers and showing the spatial vorticity distribution expected for that instability type. Indeed an estimate of the theoretical predicted wavelength is also a good match to the prediction from Floquet analysis and theoretical estimates indicate the growth rate is positive. Fully three-dimensional simulations are also undertaken to explore the nonlinear development of the three-dimensional instability. These show the development of the characteristic upright hairpins observed in the experimental dye visualisations. The three-dimensional instability that manifests at lower Reynolds numbers is shown to be consistent with an elliptic instability of the KH shear-layer vortices in both symmetry and spanwise wavelength.


1982 ◽  
Vol 104 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. E. Hurlbut ◽  
M. L. Spaulding ◽  
F. M. White

A finite difference model is presented for viscous two dimensional flow of a uniform stream past an oscillating cylinder. A noninertial coordinate transformation is used so that the grid mesh remains fixed relative to the accelerating cylinder. Three types of cylinder motion are considered: oscillation in a still fluid, oscillation parallel to a moving stream, and oscillation transverse to a moving stream. Computations are made for Reynolds numbers between 1 and 100 and amplitude-to-diameter ratios from 0.1 to 2.0. The computed results correctly predict the lock-in or wake-capture phenomenon which occurs when cylinder oscillation is near the natural vortex shedding frequency. Drag, lift, and inertia effects are extracted from the numerical results. Detailed computations at a Reynolds number of 80 are shown to be in quantitative agreement with available experimental data for oscillating cylinders.


2016 ◽  
Vol 799 ◽  
pp. 246-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Seshasayanan ◽  
A. Alexakis

We study the linear stage of the dynamo instability of a turbulent two-dimensional flow with three components $(u(x,y,t),v(x,y,t),w(x,y,t))$ that is sometimes referred to as a 2.5-dimensional (2.5-D) flow. The flow evolves based on the two-dimensional Navier–Stokes equations in the presence of a large-scale drag force that leads to the steady state of a turbulent inverse cascade. These flows provide an approximation to very fast rotating flows often observed in nature. The low dimensionality of the system allows for the realization of a large number of numerical simulations and thus the investigation of a wide range of fluid Reynolds numbers $Re$, magnetic Reynolds numbers $Rm$ and forcing length scales. This allows for the examination of dynamo properties at different limits that cannot be achieved with three-dimensional simulations. We examine dynamos for both large and small magnetic Prandtl-number turbulent flows $Pm=Rm/Re$, close to and away from the dynamo onset, as well as dynamos in the presence of scale separation. In particular, we determine the properties of the dynamo onset as a function of $Re$ and the asymptotic behaviour in the large $Rm$ limit. We are thus able to give a complete description of the dynamo properties of these turbulent 2.5-D flows.


2017 ◽  
Vol 826 ◽  
pp. 32-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Y. Houdroge ◽  
T. Leweke ◽  
K. Hourigan ◽  
M. C. Thompson

This paper presents the characteristics of the different stages in the evolution of the wake of a circular cylinder rolling without slipping along a wall at constant speed, acquired through numerical stability analysis and two- and three-dimensional numerical simulations. Reynolds numbers between 30 and 300 are considered. Of importance in this study is the transition to three-dimensionality from the underlying two-dimensional periodic flow and, in particular, the way that the associated transitions influence the fluid forces exerted on the cylinder and the development and the structure of the wake. It is found that the steady two-dimensional flow becomes unstable to three-dimensional perturbations at $Re_{c,3D}=37$, and that the transition to unsteady two-dimensional flow – or periodic vortex shedding – occurs at $Re_{c,2D}=88$, thus validating and refining the results of Stewart et al. (J. Fluid Mech. vol. 648, 2010, pp. 225–256). The main focus here is on Reynolds numbers beyond the transition to unsteady flow at $Re_{c,2D}=88$. From impulsive start up, the wake almost immediately undergoes transition to a periodic two-dimensional wake state, which, in turn, is three-dimensionally unstable. Thus, the previous three-dimensional stability analysis based on the two-dimensional steady flow provides only an element of the full story. Floquet analysis based on the periodic two-dimensional flow was undertaken and new three-dimensional instability modes were revealed. The results suggest that an impulsively started cylinder rolling along a surface at constant velocity for $Re\gtrsim 90$ will result in the rapid development of a periodic two-dimensional wake that will be maintained for a considerable time prior to the wake undergoing three-dimensional transition. Of interest, the mean lift and drag coefficients obtained from full three-dimensional simulations match predictions from two-dimensional simulations to within a few per cent.


2011 ◽  
Vol 675 ◽  
pp. 369-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. M. GONZÁLEZ ◽  
M. AHMED ◽  
J. KÜHNEN ◽  
H. C. KUHLMANN ◽  
V. THEOFILIS

Linear three-dimensional modal instability of steady laminar two-dimensional states developing in a lid-driven cavity of isosceles triangular cross-section is investigated theoretically and experimentally for the case in which the equal sides form a rectangular corner. An asymmetric steady two-dimensional motion is driven by the steady motion of one of the equal sides. If the side moves away from the rectangular corner, a stationary three-dimensional instability is found. If the motion is directed towards the corner, the instability is oscillatory. The respective critical Reynolds numbers are identified both theoretically and experimentally. The neutral curves pertinent to the two configurations and the properties of the respective leading eigenmodes are documented and analogies to instabilities in rectangular lid-driven cavities are discussed.


1997 ◽  
Vol 336 ◽  
pp. 267-299 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. C. KUHLMANN ◽  
M. WANSCHURA ◽  
H. J. RATH

The steady flow in rectangular cavities is investigated both numerically and experimentally. The flow is driven by moving two facing walls tangentially in opposite directions. It is found that the basic two-dimensional flow is not always unique. For low Reynolds numbers it consists of two separate co-rotating vortices adjacent to the moving walls. If the difference in the sidewall Reynolds numbers is large this flow becomes unstable to a stationary three-dimensional mode with a long wavelength. When the aspect ratio is larger than two and both Reynolds numbers are large, but comparable in magnitude, a second two-dimensional flow exists. It takes the form of a single vortex occupying the whole cavity. This flow is the preferred state in the present experiment. It becomes unstable to a three-dimensional mode that subdivides the basic streched vortex flow into rectangular convective cells. The instability is supercritical when both sidewall Reynolds numbers are the same. When they differ the instability is subcritical. From an energy analysis and from the salient features of the three-dimensional flow it is concluded that the mechanism of destabilization is identical to the destabilization mechanism operative in the elliptical instability of highly strained vortices.


2002 ◽  
Vol 473 ◽  
pp. 167-190 ◽  
Author(s):  
DWIGHT BARKLEY ◽  
M. GABRIELA M. GOMES ◽  
RONALD D. HENDERSON

Results are reported from a three-dimensional computational stability analysis of flow over a backward-facing step with an expansion ratio (outlet to inlet height) of 2 at Reynolds numbers between 450 and 1050. The analysis shows that the first absolute linear instability of the steady two-dimensional flow is a steady three-dimensional bifurcation at a critical Reynolds number of 748. The critical eigenmode is localized to the primary separation bubble and has a flat roll structure with a spanwise wavelength of 6.9 step heights. The system is further shown to be absolutely stable to two-dimensional perturbations up to a Reynolds number of 1500. Stability spectra and visualizations of the global modes of the system are presented for representative Reynolds numbers.


2009 ◽  
Vol 633 ◽  
pp. 437-447 ◽  
Author(s):  
DOMINIQUE LEGENDRE ◽  
ERIC LAUGA ◽  
JACQUES MAGNAUDET

We study numerically the two-dimensional flow past a circular cylinder as a prototypical transitional flow, and investigate the influence of a generic slip boundary condition on the wake dynamics. We show that slip significantly delays the onset of recirculation and shedding in the wake behind the cylinder. As expected, the drag on the cylinder decreases with slip, with an increased drag sensitivity for large Reynolds numbers. We also show that past the critical shedding Reynolds number, slip decreases the vorticity intensity in the wake, as well as the lift forces on the cylinder, but increases the shedding frequency. We further provide evidence that the shedding transition can be interpreted as a critical accumulation of surface vorticity, similarly to related studies on wake instability of axisymmetric bodies. Finally, we propose that our results could be used as a passive method to infer the effective friction properties of slipping surfaces.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (13) ◽  
pp. 1718
Author(s):  
Hasan Zobeyer ◽  
Abul B. M. Baki ◽  
Saika Nowshin Nowrin

The flow hydrodynamics around a single cylinder differ significantly from the flow fields around two cylinders in a tandem or side-by-side arrangement. In this study, the experimental results on the mean and turbulence characteristics of flow generated by a pair of cylinders placed in tandem in an open-channel flume are presented. An acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) was used to measure the instantaneous three-dimensional velocity components. This study investigated the effect of cylinder spacing at 3D, 6D, and 9D (center to center) distances on the mean and turbulent flow profiles and the distribution of near-bed shear stress behind the tandem cylinders in the plane of symmetry, where D is the cylinder diameter. The results revealed that the downstream cylinder influenced the flow development between cylinders (i.e., midstream) with 3D, 6D, and 9D spacing. However, the downstream cylinder controlled the flow recirculation length midstream for the 3D distance and showed zero interruption in the 6D and 9D distances. The peak of the turbulent metrics generally occurred near the end of the recirculation zone in all scenarios.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document