Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-19T00:31:26.057Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Smoke observations of the wake of a group of three cylinders at low Reynolds number

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 March 2006

M. M. Zdravkovich
Affiliation:
Cambridge University Engineering Department
On leave from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Belgrade.

Abstract

A smoke visualization technique was used to study the laminar wake behind a group of three cylinders. The main characteristic of the interaction between the three cylinders was the appearance of strong sinuous oscillations some distance downstream in the wake, which led to the formation of a new single vortex street. The mechanism of the formation process of this vortex street and the part played in it by the sinuous oscillations is demonstrated by a series of photographs. The effects of variation of the spacing of the configuration have been examined in detail.

In an interaction between three fully developed vortex streets, some of the rows of vortices crossed, and there was an extremely complicated re-arrangement of vorticity in the wake.

Transition to turbulence in such wakes was also studied. The most interesting result observed was an asymmetric transition. Wakes were sometimes observed which were laminar on one side and turbulent on the other.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1968 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

Boussinesq, M. J. 1871 Théorie générale des mouvements qui sont propagés dans un canal rectangulaire horizontal Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences, Paris, 73, 25660.Google Scholar
Korteweg, D. J. & DE VRIES, G. 1895 On the changes in form of long waves advancing in a rectangular channel, and on a new type of long stationary waves. Phil. Mag. (v) 39, 42233.Google Scholar
Lamb, H. 1932 Hydrodynamics. Cambridge University Press.
Long, R. R. 1964 The initial-value problem for long waves of finite amplitude J. Fluid Mech. 20, 16170.Google Scholar
Peregrine, D. H. 1966 Calculations of the development of an undular bore J. Fluid Mech. 25, 32130.Google Scholar
Peregrine, D. H. 1967 Long waves on a beach J. Fluid Mech. 27, 81527.Google Scholar
Peters, A. S. 1966 Rotational and irrotational solitary waves in a channel with arbitrary cross-section Commun. pure appl. Math. 19, 44571.Google Scholar
Scott Russell, J. 1844 Report on waves. Report of the 14th meeting British Assoc. for the Advancement of Science, pp. 31190.
Stoker, J. J. 1957 Water Waves. New York: Interscience.
Ursell, F. 1953 The long-wave paradox in the theory of gravity waves Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 49, 68594.Google Scholar