Flow Past a Cylinder
The following model examines unsteady, incompressible flow past a long cylinder placed in a channel at right angle to the oncoming fluid. The cylinder is offset somewhat from the center of the flow to make the steady-state symmetrical flow unstable.The simulation time necessary for a periodic flow pattern to appear is difficult to predict. A key predictor is the Reynolds number, which is based on cylinder diameter. For low values—below 100—the flow is steady.
In this simulation the Reynolds number equals 100, which gives a developed Karman vortex street; but the flow is still not fully turbulent.
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The plot shows the velocity field of a flow past a long cylinder, the von Karman path is clearly visible. |
Engineering Fields
- Reaction Engineering
- Momentum Transfer & CFD
- Benchmarking Studies