Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-45l2p Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-27T07:34:11.870Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Formation mechanism of hairpin vortices in the wake of a truncated square cylinder in a duct

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2010

VINCENT DOUSSET*
Affiliation:
Applied Mathematics Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
ALBAN POTHÉRAT
Affiliation:
Applied Mathematics Research Centre, Faculty of Engineering and Computing, Coventry University, Priory Street, Coventry CV1 5FB, UK
*
Email address for correspondence: aa4112@coventry.ac.uk

Abstract

We investigate the laminar shedding of hairpin vortices in the wake of a truncated square cylinder placed in a duct, for Reynolds numbers around the critical threshold of the onset of vortex shedding. We single out the formation mechanism of the hairpin vortices by means of a detailed analysis of the flow patterns in the steady regime. We show that unlike in previous studies of similar structures, the dynamics of the hairpin vortices are entwined with that of the counter-rotating pair of streamwise vortices, which we found to be generated in the bottom part of the near wake (these are usually referred to as ‘base vortices’). In particular, once the hairpin structure is released, the base vortices attach to it, forming its legs, so these are streamwise, and not spanwise as previously observed in unconfined wakes or behind cylinders of lower aspect ratios. We also single out a trail of Ω-shaped vortices, generated between successive hairpin vortices through a mechanism that is analogous to that active in near-wall turbulence. Finally, we show how the dynamics of the structures we identified determine the evolution of the drag coefficients and Strouhal numbers when the Reynolds number varies.

Type
Papers
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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

REFERENCES

Baker, C. J. 1979 The laminar horseshoe vortex. J. Fluid Mech. 95, 347361.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ballio, F., Bettoni, C. & Franzetti, S. 1998 A survey of time-averaged characteristics of laminar and turbulent horseshoe vortices. J. Fluids Engng 120, 233242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bühler, L., Horanyi, S. & Mistrangelo, C. 2008 Interpretation of LEVI velocity signals in 3D MHD flows. Fusion Engng Des. 83, 18221827.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Chong, M. S., Perry, A. E. & Cantwell, B. J. 1990 A general classification of three-dimensional flow fields. Phys. Fluids A 2 (5), 765777.Google Scholar
Dong, S. & Meng, H. 2004 Flow past a trapezoidal tab. J. Fluid Mech. 510, 219242.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Doolan, C. J. 2009 The interaction of a flat plate with the near wake of a square cylinder. AIAA J. 47 (2), 475478.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Etzold, F. & Fiedler, H. 1976 The near-wake structure of a cantilevered cylinder in a crossflow. Z. Flugwiss. 24, 7782.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. C. R., Abell, C. J., Peterka, J. A. & Woo, H. 1978 Kinematical studies of the flows around free or surface-mounted obstacles; applying topology to flow visualization. J. Fluid Mech. 86, 179200.Google Scholar
Hwang, J.-Y. & Yang, K.-S 2004 Numerical study of vortical structures around a wall-mounted cubic obstacle in channel flow. Phys. Fluids 16 (7), 23822394.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Jeong, J. & Hussain, F. 1995 On the identification of a vortex. J. Fluid Mech. 295, 6994.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kawamura, T., Hiwada, M., Hibino, T., Mabuchi, I. & Kumada, M. 1984 Flow around a finite circular cylinder on a flat plate. Bull. JSME 27 (232), 21422151.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lin, C., Ho, T. C. & Dey, S. 2008 Characteristics of steady horseshoe vortex system near junction of square cylinder and base plate. J. Engng Mech. 134 (2), 184197.Google Scholar
Liou, W. W. 1994 Linear instability of curved free shear layers. Phys. Fluids 6, 541549.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Liu, Y., So, R. M. C. & Cui, Z. X. 2005 A finite cantilevered cylinder in a crossflow. J. Fluids Struct. 20, 589609.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mück, B., Günther, C., Müller, U. & Bühler, L. 2000 Three-dimensional MHD flow in rectangular ducts with internal obstacles. J. Fluid Mech. 418, 265294.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nakamura, H. & Igarashi, T. 2004 Forced convection heat transfer from a low-profile block simulating a package of electronic equipment. J. Heat Transfer 126, 463470.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Park, C.-W. & Lee, S.-J. 2000 Free end effects on the near-wake flow structure behind a finite circular cylinder. J. Wind Engng. Ind. Aerodyn. 88, 231246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakamoto, H. & Arie, M. 1983 Vortex shedding from a rectangular prism and a circular cylinder placed vertically in a turbulent boundary layer. J. Fluid Mech. 126, 147165.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sakamoto, H., Haniu, H. & Obata, Y. 1987 Vortex shedding from a circular cylinder placed vertically in a laminar boundary layer. Trans. JSME B 53 (487), 714721 (in Japanese).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sau, A., Hwang, R. R., Sheu, T. W. H. & Yang, W. C. 2003 Interaction of trailing vortices in the wake of a wall-mounted rectangular cylinder. Phys. Rev. E 68, 056303.Google Scholar
Sharma, A. & Eswaran, V. 2004 Heat and fluid flow across a square cylinder in the two-dimensional laminar flow regime. Numer. Heat Transfer A 45, 247269.Google Scholar
Slaouti, A. & Gerrard, J. H. 1981 An experimental investigation of the end effects on the wake of a circular cylinder towed through water at low Reynolds numbers. J. Fluid Mech. 112, 297314.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sohankar, A., Norberg, C. & Davidson, L. 1998 Low-Reynolds-number flow around a square cylinder at incidence: study of blockage, onset of vortex shedding and outlet boundary condition. Intl J. Numer. Methods Fluids 26, 3956.3.0.CO;2-P>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sohankar, A., Norberg, C. & Davidson, L. 1999 Simulation of three-dimensional flow around a square cylinder at moderate Reynolds numbers. Phys. Fluids 11 (2), 288306.Google Scholar
Sumner, D., Heseltine, J. L. & Dansereau, O. J. P. 2004 Wake structure of a finite circular cylinder of small aspect ratio. Exp. Fluids 37, 720730.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wang, H. F. & Zhou, Y. 2009 The finite-length square cylinder near wake. J. Fluid Mech. 638, 453490.Google Scholar
Wang, H. F., Zhou, Y., Chan, C. K. & Lam, K. S. 2006 Effect of initial conditions on interaction between a boundary layer and a wall-mounted finite-length-cylinder wake. Phys. Fluids 18, 065106.Google Scholar
Weller, H. G., Tabor, G., Jasak, H. & Fureby, C. 1998 A tensorial approach to computational continuum mechanics using object-oriented techniques. Comput. Phys. 12 (6), 620631.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yamada, H., Yamane, T. & Osaka, H. 1993 Vortex structure behind a square plate protuberance standing on a flat ground wall. Trans. JSME, B 59 (559), 677–583 (in Japanese).Google Scholar
Yanaoka, H., Inamura, T. & Kawabe, S. 2007 Turbulence and heat transfer of a hairpin vortex formed behind a cube in a laminar boundary layer. Numer. Heat Transfer, A 52, 973990.Google Scholar
Yang, W., Meng, H. & Sheng, J. 2001 Dynamics of hairpin vortices generated by a mixing tab in a channel flow. Exp. Fluids 30, 705722.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Zhou, J., Adrian, R. J., Balachandar, S. & Kendall, T. M. 1999 Mechanisms for generating coherent packets of hairpin vortices in channel flow. J. Fluid Mech. 387, 353396.CrossRefGoogle Scholar

Dousset and Potherat supplementary movie

Movie 1. Animation exhibiting the shedding of regular harpin vortices at $Re=200$. Isocontours of vorticity: blue and red colours depict the lateral free shear layers, cyan and yellow the streamwise vortices and green the free shear layer stretching from the cylinder upper face. The formation mechanism of the hairpin vortices is the following: under their mutual interaction, the streamwise vortices lift up the tail of the top free shear layer, which turns unstable and shed. Two secondary streamwise vortices appear upstream the primary ones and wrap around the latter. The subsequent pairing between both primary and secondary streamwise vortices eventually causes the symmetric shedding of structures from both lateral free shear layers. The hairpin vortex is then formed and carried downstream by the free stream. Its legs are the extensions of the primary streamwise vortices. Three shedding periods are shown in this movie.

Download Dousset and Potherat supplementary movie(Video)
Video 1.7 MB