A numerical investigation of fluid flows induced by the oscillations of thin plates and evaluation of the associated hydrodynamic forces

Abstract

The paper is devoted to the problem of harmonic oscillations of thin plates in a viscous incompressible fluid. The two-dimensional flows caused by the plate oscillations and their hydrodynamic influence on the plates are studied. The fluid motion is described by the non-stationary Navier–Stokes equations, which are solved numerically on the basis of the finite volume method. The simulation is carried out for plates with different thicknesses and shapes of edges in a wide range of control parameters of the oscillatory process: dimensionless frequency and amplitude of oscillations. For the first time in the framework of one model all two-dimensional flow regimes, which were found earlier in experimental studies, are described. Two new flow regimes emerging along the stability boundaries of symmetric flow regimes are localized. The map of flow regimes in the frequency–amplitude plane is constructed. The analysis of the hydrodynamic influence of flows on the plates allow us to establish new effects associated with the influence of the shape of the plates on the drag and inertia forces. Due to these effects, the values of hydrodynamic forces can differ by 90 % at the same parameters of the oscillation. The lower and upper estimates of hydrodynamic forces obtained in the work have a good agreement with the experimental data presented in the literature.