Aerodynamic Forces and Vortex Shedding for Surface-Mounted Finite Square Prisms and the Effects of Aspect Ratio and Incidence Angle

Author(s):  
John F. McClean ◽  
David Sumner

The flow around a surface-mounted square prism of finite height was investigated experimentally using a low-speed wind tunnel. Of interest were the effects of aspect ratio and incidence angle on the mean aerodynamic forces and vortex shedding. Compared to the case of the “infinite” (or two-dimensional) square prism, the flow around the finite square prism has not been extensively studied. The experiments were conducted at a Reynolds number of Re = 7.2 × 104 for aspect ratios of AR = 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 and incidence angles of α = 0°, 15°, 30° and 45°. The thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane relative to the side length was δ/D = 1.5. Measurements of the vortex shedding frequency were made with a single-component hot-wire probe in the wake, and measurements of the mean drag and lift forces were obtained with a force balance. For all aspect ratios and incidence angles, the Strouhal number and the mean drag coefficient were lower than those of an infinite prism, while the mean lift coefficient was of nearly similar magnitude. As the aspect ratio was increased from AR = 3 to 11, the force coefficients and Strouhal number slowly approached the infinite-square-prism data. The behaviours of the mean drag coefficient and Strouhal number with incidence angle were less sensitive compared to the case of the infinite square prism, although a minimum mean drag coefficient, minimum (most negative) mean lift coefficient, and maximum Strouhal number were found at α = 15°. The reduced sensitivity to incidence angle is attributed to the complex three-dimensional flow over the free end of the prism and the downwash flow that enters the near wake. The behaviour of the force coefficients and Strouhal number for the prism of AR = 3 was distinct from the other prisms (with lower values of drag coefficient and lift coefficient magnitude, and a different Strouhal number trend), suggesting the critical aspect ratio was between AR = 5 and AR = 3 in these experiments. In the wall-normal direction, the power spectra for AR = 11 and 9 tended to have weaker and/or more broad-banded vortex shedding peaks near the ground plane and near the free end at α = 0° and 15°. For AR = 7 to 3, well-defined vortex shedding peaks were detected along the entire height of the prisms. For AR = 11 and 9, at α = 30° and 45°, vortex shedding peaks were absent in the power spectra in the upper part of the wake.

2014 ◽  
Vol 136 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
J. F. McClean ◽  
D. Sumner

The flow around a surface-mounted finite-height square prism was investigated using a low-speed wind tunnel. The experiments were conducted at a Reynolds number of Re = 7.3 × 104 for prism aspect ratios of AR = 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11 and incidence angles from α = 0 deg to 45 deg. The thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane relative to the side length was δ/D = 1.5. Measurements of the vortex shedding frequency were made with a single-component hot-wire probe, and measurements of the mean drag and lift forces were obtained with a force balance. For all aspect ratios and incidence angles, the mean drag coefficient and Strouhal number were lower than those of an infinite prism, while the mean lift coefficient was of nearly similar magnitude. As the aspect ratio was increased from AR = 3 to 11, the force coefficients and Strouhal number slowly approached the infinite-square-prism data. The mean drag coefficient and Strouhal number for the finite prism were less sensitive to changes in incidence angle compared to the infinite square prism. The critical incidence angle, corresponding to minimum mean drag coefficient, minimum (most negative) mean lift coefficient, and maximum Strouhal number, shifted to a higher incidence angle compared to the infinite square prism, with values ranging from αcritical = 15 deg to 18 deg; this shift was greatest for the prisms of higher aspect ratio. The behavior of the force coefficients and Strouhal number for the prism of AR = 3 was distinct from the other prisms (with lower values of mean drag coefficient and mean lift coefficient magnitude, and a different Strouhal number trend), suggesting the critical aspect ratio was between AR = 5 and AR = 3 in these experiments. In the wall-normal direction, the power spectra for AR = 11 and 9 tended to have weaker and/or more broad-banded vortex shedding peaks near the ground plane and near the free end at α = 0 deg and 15 deg. For AR = 7 to 3, well-defined vortex shedding peaks were detected along the entire height of the prisms. For AR = 11 and 9, at α = 30 deg and 45 deg, vortex shedding peaks were absent in the power spectra in the upper part of the wake.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Hamid Rahman ◽  
Shams-ul-Islam ◽  
Waqas Sarwar Abbasi ◽  
Raheela Manzoor ◽  
Fazle Amin ◽  
...  

In this work, numerical simulations are performed in order to study the effects of aspect ratio (AR) and Reynolds number (Re) on flow characteristics of three side-by-side rectangular cylinders for fixed spacing ratio ( g ), using the lattice Boltzmann method (LBM). The Reynolds number varies within the range 60 ≤ Re ≤ 180, aspect ratio is between 0.25 and 4, and spacing ratio is fixed at g  = 1.5. The flow structure mechanism behind the cylinders is analyzed in terms of vorticity contour visualization, time-trace analysis of drag and lift coefficients, power spectrum analysis of lift coefficient and variations of mean drag coefficient, and Strouhal number. For different combinations of AR and Re, the flow is characterized into regular, irregular, and symmetric vortex shedding. In regular and symmetric vortex shedding the drag and lift coefficients vary smoothly while reverse trend occurs in irregular vortex shedding. At small AR, each cylinder experiences higher magnitude drag force as compared to intermediate and large aspect ratios. The vortex shedding frequency was found to be smaller at smaller AR and increased with increment in AR.


Author(s):  
Ayodele Ogunremi ◽  
David Sumner

The wake of a surface-mounted finite-height square prism of sub-critical aspect ratio AR = 3 was studied experimentally in a low-speed wind tunnel at a Reynolds number of Re = 3.7×104. The ratio of the boundary layer thickness on the ground plane, to the width of the prism, was δ/D = 1.5. The incidence angle of the prism was varied from α = 0° to 45°. Wake mean velocity measurements were made in vertical planes normal to and parallel to the main flow direction using a seven-hole pressure probe. As the prism is rotated from α = 0° to 45°, the mean wake progressively widens and the maximum streamwise extent of the mean recirculation zone increases. The mean streamwise tip vortex pair is symmetric at 0° and 45°, but becomes strongly asymmetric at intermediate α, where the tip vortex is found higher above the ground plane on the wider side of the wake. The wake and tip vortex asymmetry is most pronounced near the critical incidence angle.


2018 ◽  
Vol 848 ◽  
pp. 1013-1039 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ming Zhao ◽  
Lin Lu

Flow past two circular cylinders in cruciform arrangement is simulated by direct numerical simulations for Reynolds numbers ranging from 100 to 500. The study is aimed at investigating the local flow pattern near the gap between the two cylinders, the global vortex shedding flow in the wake of the cylinders and their effects on the force coefficients of the two cylinders. The three identified local flow patterns near the gap: trail vortex (TV), necklace vortex (NV) and vortex shedding in the gap (SG) agree with those found by flow visualization in experimental studies. As for the global wake flow, two modes of vortex shedding are identified: K mode with inclined wake vortices and P mode where the wake vortices are parallel to the cylinders. The K mode occurs when the gap is slightly greater than the boundary gap between the NV and SG. It also coexists with the SG gap flow pattern if the Reynolds number is very small ($Re=100$). The flow pattern affects the force coefficient. The K mode increases the mean drag coefficient and the standard deviation of the lift coefficient at the centre of the upstream cylinder because the wake vortices converge towards the centre. The mean drag coefficient and standard deviation of the lift coefficient of the downstream cylinder decreases because of the shedding effect from the upstream cylinder.


Author(s):  
O. O. Akosile ◽  
D. Sumner

Two circular cylinders of equal diameter, arranged in staggered configurations of P/D = 1.125 and 1.25, were immersed in a uniform planar shear flow, at Re = 5.0×104 and a dimensionless shear parameter of K = 0.05. The mean aerodynamic forces and the vortex shedding frequencies were measured for the upstream and downstream cylinders at each P/D. Under uniform, no-shear flow conditions, K = 0, the flow field of the cylinder group is similar to a single bluff body. As the incidence angle is varied from α = 0° to 90°, the forces on each cylinder undergo discontinuous changes, or attain local minimum or maximum values, at several critical incidence angles. At small α, the Strouhal number is greater than that of a single, isolated circular cylinder, whereas at high α the Strouhal number is lower than the single-cylinder value. The effects of shear, K = 0.05, on the aerodynamic forces were different depending on whether the downstream cylinder was situated at a higher or lower centreline velocity compared to the upstream cylinder. The planar shear flow had its greatest influence when the cylinders were in a nearly side-by-side arrangement. This indicated that the effect of shear was mostly on the flow through the gap between the cylinders. The lift coefficient data were mostly unchanged by the shear flow, the drag coefficient data were lowered, and there were shifts in the critical incidence angles. The influence of shear on vortex shedding was less pronounced, but there was a small reduction in Strouhal number compared to the no-shear case.


Author(s):  
Ayodele R. Ogunremi ◽  
David Sumner

The effect of a wake-mounted splitter plate on the flow around a surface-mounted finite-height square prism was investigated experimentally in a low-speed wind tunnel. Four square prisms of aspect ratios AR = 9, 7, 5 and 3 were tested at a Reynolds number of Re = 7.4×104. The relative thickness of the boundary layer on the ground plane was δ/D = 1.5 (where D is the side length of the prism). The splitter plates were mounted vertically from the ground plane on the wake centreline, with a negligible gap between the leading edge of the plate and rear of the prism. The splitter plate heights were always the same as the heights of prisms, while the splitter plate lengths were varied from L/D = 1 to 7. Measurements of the mean drag force were obtained with a force balance, and measurements of the vortex shedding frequency were obtained with a single-sensor hot-wire probe. Compared to previously published results for an “infinite” square prism, a splitter plate is less effective at drag reduction, but more effective at vortex shedding suppression, when used with a finite-height square prism. Significant reduction in drag was realized only for short prisms (of AR ≤ 5) when long splitter plates (of L/D ≥ 5) were used. In contrast, a splitter plate of length L/D = 3 was sufficient to suppress vortex shedding for all aspect ratios tested. Compared to previous results for finite-height circular cylinders, finite-height square prisms typically need longer splitter plates for vortex shedding suppression.


2021 ◽  
Vol 925 ◽  
Author(s):  
Majid Rodgar ◽  
Hélène Scolan ◽  
Jean-Louis Marié ◽  
Delphine Doppler ◽  
Jean-Philippe Matas

We study experimentally the behaviour of a bubble injected into a horizontal liquid solid-body rotating flow, in a range of rotational velocities where the bubble is close to the axis of rotation. We first study the stretching of the bubble as a function of its size and of the rotation of the cell. We show that the bubble aspect ratio can be predicted as a function of the bubble Weber number by the model of Rosenthal (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 12, 1962, 358–366) provided an appropriate correction due to the impact of buoyancy is included. We next deduce the drag and lift coefficients from the mean bubble position. For large bubbles straddling the axis of rotation, we show that the drag coefficient $C_D$ is solely dependent on the Rossby number $Ro$, with $C_D \approx 1.5/Ro$. In the same limit of large bubbles, we show that the lift coefficient $C_L$ is controlled by the shear Reynolds number $Re_{shear}$ at the scale of the bubble. For $Re_{shear}$ larger than 3000 we observe a sharp transition, wherein large fluctuations in the bubble aspect ratio and mean position occur, and can lead to the break-up of the bubble. We interpret this regime as a resonance between the periodic forcing of the rotating cell and the eigenmodes of the stretched bubble.


Author(s):  
Rodolfo T. Gonçalves ◽  
Dênnis M. Gambarine ◽  
Felipe P. Figueiredo ◽  
Fábio V. Amorim ◽  
André L. C. Fujarra

Experiments regarding flow-induced vibration on floating squared section cylinders with low aspect ratio were carried out in an ocean basin with rotating-arm apparatus. The floating squared section cylinders were elastically supported by a set of linear springs to provide low structural damping to the system. Three different aspect ratios were tested, namely L/D = 1.0, 2.0 and 3.0, and two different incidence angles, namely 0 and 45 degrees. The aims were to understanding the flow-induced vibration around single columns of multi-column platforms, such as semi-submersible and TLP. VIV on circular cylinders were also carried out to compare the results. The range of Reynolds number covered was 2,000 < Re < 27,000. The in-line and transverse amplitude results showed to be higher for 45-degree incidence compared with 0-degree, but the maximum amplitudes for squared section cylinders were lower compared with the circular ones. The double frequency in the in-line motion was not verified as in circular cylinders. The yaw amplitudes cannot be neglected for squared section cylinders, maximum yaw amplitudes around 10 degrees were observed for reduced velocities up to 15.


Author(s):  
Douglas A. Potts ◽  
Jonathan R. Binns ◽  
Andrew E. Potts ◽  
Hayden Marcollo

Abstract The drag coefficient for long-slender structures that is typically provided in design guidance has been determined from test specimens of sufficient length that they are unaffected by the aspect ratio (L/D), whereby they are considered to be of “infinite” length. However, it is apparent from the literature that aspect ratio does have a significant non-linear effect at short L/D ratios. DNV provides guidance on the aspect ratio effect on the drag coefficient of a cylinder, for which no experimental source data has been cited. The DNV design guidance has wide usage in the offshore industry and merits critical evaluation. This paper critically reviews the literature and presents the results of a series of tow tank experiments performed by the authors. A series of tow tank tests of a surface-piercing cylinder has been undertaken using a range of aspect ratios as well as testing the effect of various end conditions, where the effects of VIV and ventilation has been deemed insignificant. Correlation of the various data sets of the literature and the experimental test programme provides the basis for developing an alternate design guidance curve for the effect of aspect ratio on the drag coefficient of cylinders.


2014 ◽  
Vol 69 (7) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jaswar Koto ◽  
Abdul Khair Junaidi

Vortex-induced vibration is natural phenomena where an object is exposed to moving fluid caused vibration of the object. Vortex-induced vibration occurred due to vortex shedding behind the object. One of the offshore structures that experience this vortex-induced vibration is riser. The riser experience vortex-induced vibration due to vortex shedding caused by external load which is sea current. The effect of this vortex shedding to the riser is fatigue damage. Vortex-induced vibration of riser becomes the main concern in oil and gas industry since there will be a lots of money to be invested for the installation and maintenance of the riser. The previous studies of this vortex-induced vibration have been conducted by experimental method and Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method in order to predict the vortex shedding behaviour behind the riser body for the determination of way to improve the riser design. This thesis represented the analysis of vortex induced vibration of rigid riser in two-dimensional. The analysis is conducted using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) simulations at Reynolds number at 40, 200, 1000, and 1500. The simulations were performed using Spalart-Allmaras turbulent model to solve the transport equation of turbulent viscosity. The simulations results at Reynolds number 40 and 200 is compared with the other studies for the validation of the simulation, then further simulations were conducted at Reynolds number of 1000 and 1500. The coefficient of lift and drag were obtained from the simulations. The comparison of lift and drag coefficient between the simulation results in this study and experiment results from the other studies showed good agreement. Besides that, the in-line vibration and cross-flow vibration at different Reynolds number were also investigated. The drag coefficient obtained from the simulation results remain unchanged as the Reynolds number increased from 200 to 1500. The lift coefficient obtained from the simulations increased as the Reynolds number increased from 40 to 1500.


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