VORTEX SHEDDING IN CYLINDERS Term

Paper Report Submitted For AM5530

Prakash

Mithun Singh

December 11, 2015

Introduction

Oscillations of structures placed transversely to the incoming flow are caused

by vortex shedding. The description of these vortices comes originally from
Leonardo da Vinci, who sketched the staggered column of small whirlpools in
the downstream of a bridge pier he had observed from the top. These small
whirlpools are vortices or eddies which travel downstream of a bluff body with
a regular frequency. This vortex shedding often occurs due to the instabilities
caused during the flow, geometry of the bluff body and Reynolds number.

Governing Equation

Continuity:
(rur ) (u )
+
=0
r

r-momentum:
u ur
u2
1 p
ur
ur
+ ur
+
=
+
t
r
r
r
r

1
r r


r

ur
r


+

ur
2 u
1 2 ur
2 2
r2 2
r
r

-momentum:
u
u
u u
ur u
1 p
+ ur
+

=
+
t
r
r
r
r

1
r r


r

u
r


+

1 2 u
2 ur
u
+ 2
2
r2 2
r
r

Pre-Vortex Stage

At very low Reynolds number (less than equal to 1) the flow smoothly divides
and reunites around the cylinder. At a Reynolds number of about 4, the flow
separates in the downstream and wake zone is formed by two symmetrical standing eddies. The eddies,also called as separation bubbles, remain steady but grow
1

Re40.png
Symmetric vortices at Re = 40(http://www.computationalfluiddynamics.com.au)

in size up to a Reynolds number of about 40. When the Reynolds number becomes about 40, the eddies start to oscillate in time and thus brings asymmetry
in the wake. Subsequently, the wake starts shedding vortices into the stream.
Re = 40: Two symmetrical vortices are formed on either side of horizontal
axis of cylinder.

3.1

Reasons For Symmetric Break:

Non-uniform inlet conditions

Irregularity of the boundary conditions
Perturbation in the progression of experiment
If the analysis is done numerically, the above perturbations can be neglected.
But Braza M., Chassaing P., and Ha Minh H, had numerically matched
the results with experiments.
This is due to the fact that the periodic fluctuations of flow past a cylinder
due to increase in Re is an inherent property of Navier- Stokes equation.

Significance of Strouhal Number

Strouhal Number is a dimensionless number used in studying the vibrations of

a body past which a fluid is flowing. It is equal to a characteristic dimension of
the body times the frequency of vibrations divided by the fluid velocity relative
to the body. The Strouhal number shows a slight but continuous variation with
the Reynolds number but is close to a value of 0.21. At about Re = 500, multiple
frequencies start showing up and the wake tends to become turbulent. It may
be mentioned that the induced periodicity in the flow field culminates in periodic lateral forces on the cylinder. The cylinder starts vibrating, a phenomenon
known as flow-induced vibration. If the frequency of the forced vibration becomes equal to the natural frquency of the cylindrical structure, the cylinder
itself will collapse due to resonance.

Mechanism of Vortex Shedding

A - Low pressure region created due to the lower shear layer

B-B0 - Interaction of upper and lower shear layer

vs.pdf

C - Suction created at the core of vortex

Due to instability, the upper shear layer rolls up and forms a vortex with core (C) creating
a suction.
This suction attracts the lower shear layer towards itself.
The lower shear is bifurcated, part of which moves towards the vortex core and part of which
rolls up, leaving behind a low pressure region (A).
The part of lower shear layer moving towards the vortex core is again bifurcated and again
part of which continues to move towards the vortex core.
The other part meets the upper shear layer creating a notch (B-B0 ). Now this is in the state
of a rubber band pulled beyond elastic limit.
Now the vortex attains enough strength such that the stress created in the vortex region
pulls the notched upper shear layer causing the breakdown.
This phenomenon is repeated again in the lower region causing the periodic vortex shedding.

Methods to Control Vortex Shedding

Suction in the cylinder at Re = 1500 almost reduced the shedding [Sun et
al.,(1986)]
Small cylinder/pin in the near wake region [Strykowski (1986)]
Attaching a Splitter plate to the downstream of the cylinder.
Bleed flow method

Conclusion

The cause of instabilities in experimental investigation has been studied. The

significance of Strouhal number with the increase in Reynolds number has been
studied. The mechanism of vortex shedding has been studied.

Reference
1.

Braza M., Chassaing P., and Ha Minh., Numerical study and physical analysis of the pressure
and velocity fields in the near wake of a circular cylinder., J.Fluid Mech, vol 165, pp 79-130

2. Franke R., Rodi W., and Schonung B., Numerical Calculation Of Laminar Vortex shedding
Flow Past Cylinders, Journal of Wind Engineering and Industrial Aerodynamics., J. wind
engineering and industrial aerodynamics, 35 (1990) 237-257

3. Son S., and Hanratty J., numerical solution for the flow around a cylinder at Reynolds
number of 40, 200 and 500., J.Fluid Mech. (1969), vol 35, part 2, pp. 369-386
4. Rhosko A., Experiments on the flow past a circular cylinder at very high Reynolds number., Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena,
California, Nov 1960
5. H. Oertel, Jr., Wake behind blunt bodies., Annual review in Fluid mechanics, 1990, 22:
539-64