Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T05:48:35.335Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The distortion of turbulence by a circular cylinder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 April 2006

R. E. Britter ,
J. C. R. Hunt  and
J. C. Mumford
R. E. Britter
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
J. C. R. Hunt
Affiliation:
Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge
J. C. Mumford
Affiliation:
Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

The flow of grid-generated turbulence past a circular cylinder is investigated using hot-wire anemometry over a Reynolds number range from 4·25 × 103 to 2·74 × 104 and a range of intensities from 0·025 to 0·062. Measurements of the mean velocity distribution, and r.m.s. intensities and spectral energy densities of the turbulent velocity fluctuations are presented for various radial and circumferential positions relative to the cylinder, and for ratios of the cylinder radius a to the scale of the incident turbulence Lx ranging from 0·05 to 1·42. The influence of upstream conditions on the flow in the cylinder wake and its associated induced velocity fluctuations is discussed.

For all measurements, detailed comparison is made with the theoretical predictions of Hunt (1973). We conclude the following.

  1. The amplification and reduction of the three components of turbulence (which occur in different senses for the different components) can be explained qualitatively in terms of the distortion by the mean flow of the turbulent vorticity and the ‘blocking’ or ‘source’ effect caused by turbulence impinging on the cylinder surface. The relative importance of the first effect over the second increases as a/Lx increases or the distance from the cylinder surface increases.

  2. Over certain ranges of the variables involved, the measurements are in quantitative agreement with the predictions of the asymptotic theory when a/Lx [Lt ] 1, a/Lx [Gt ] 1 or |k| a [Gt ] 1 (where k is the wavenumber).

  3. The incident turbulence affects the gross properties of the flow in the cylinder wake, but the associated velocity fluctuations are probably statistically independent of those in the incident flow.

  4. The dissipation of turbulent energy is greater in the straining flow near the cylinder than in the approach flow. Some estimates for this effect are proposed.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 92 , Issue 2 , 28 May 1979 , pp. 269 - 301
Copyright
© 1979 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

Batchelor, G. K. 1960 The Theory of Homogeneous Turbulence. Cambridge University Press.
Bearman, P. W. 1968 The flow around a circular cylinder in the critical Reynolds number regime. Nat. Phys. Lab. Aero. Rep. no. 1257.Google Scholar
Bearman, P. W. 1972 Some measurements of the distortion of turbulence approaching a two-dimensional body. J. Fluid Mech. 53, 451.Google Scholar
Bradshaw, P. & Wong, F. Y. F. 1972 The reattachment and relaxation of a turbulent shear layer. J. Fluid Mech. 52, 113.Google Scholar
Britter, R., Hunt, J. C. R. & Puttock, J. 1976 Predicting pollution concentrations near buildings and hills. Conf. Systems & Models in Air & Water Pollution. Inst. Meas. Control, London.Google Scholar
Comte-Bellot, G. & Corrsin, S. 1971 Simple Eulerian time correlations of full- and narrow-band velocity signals in grid-generated ‘isotropic’ turbulence. J. Fluid Mech. 48, 273.Google Scholar
Elliott, C. J. 1976 Eddy structure in turbulent flow. Ph.D. thesis, University of Cambridge.
Gerrard, J. H. 1965 A disturbance-sensitive Reynolds number range of the flow past a circular cylinder. J. Fluid Mech. 22, 187–196.Google Scholar
Graham, J. M. R. 1976 Turbulent flow past a porous flat plate. J. Fluid Mech. 73, 565.Google Scholar
Gutmark, E., Wolfshtein, M. & Wygnanski, I. 1978 The plane turbulent impinging jet. J. Fluid Mech. 88, 737.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. C. R. 1971 The effect of single buildings and structures. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. A 269, 457.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. C. R. 1973 A theory of turbulent flow around two-dimensional bluff bodies. J. Fluid Mech. 61, 625.Google Scholar
Hunt, J. C. R. 1976 Turbulent velocities near and fluctuating surface pressures on structures in turbulent flows. Proc. 4th Int. Conf. Wind Effects on Buildings & Structures, p. 309. Cambridge University Press.
Hunt, J. C. R. & Graham, J. M. R. 1977 Free-stream turbulence near plane boundaries. J. Fluid Mech. 84, 209.Google Scholar
Jackson, R., Graham, J. M. R. & Maull, D. J. 1973 The lift on a wing in turbulent flow. Aero. Quart. 24, 155.Google Scholar
Miyazaki, H. & Sparrow, E. M. 1976 Potential flow solution for cross flow impingement of a slot jet on a circular cylinder. Trans. A.S.M.E., J. Fluid Engng 98, 249.Google Scholar
Parkinson, G. V. & Jandali, T. 1970 A wake source model for bluff body potential flow. J. Fluid Mech. 40, 577–594.Google Scholar
Petty, D. G. 1972 Discussion contribution. IAHR/TAM Conf. Flow Induced Vib., Karlsruhe.Google Scholar
Phillips, O. M. 1955 The irrotational motion outside a free boundary layer. Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc. 51, 220.Google Scholar
Sadeh, W. Z., Sutera, S. P. & Maeder, P. F. 1970 An investigation of vorticity amplification in stagnation flow. Z. angew. Math. Phys. 21, 717.Google Scholar
Thomas, N. H. & Hancock, P. 1977 Grid turbulence near a moving wall. J. Fluid Mech. 82 481–496.Google Scholar
Townsend, A. A. 1976 The Structure of Turbulent Shear Flow, 2nd edn. Cambridge University Press.
Tucker, H. S. & Reynolds, A. J. 1968 The distortion of turbulence by irrotational plane strain. J. Fluid Mech. 32, 657.Google Scholar
Vickery, B. J. 1966 Fluctuating lift and drag on a long cylinder of square cross-section in a smooth and in a turbulent stream. J. Fluid Mech. 25, 481.Google Scholar