Experimental investigation of Reynolds number effect on vortex induced vibration of rigid circular cylinder on elastic supports

Abstract

Vortex induced vibration (VIV) of circular cylinders is widely accepted as depending weakly on Reynolds number (Re) and strongly on reduced velocity, mass ratio, and damping. Experiments are conducted in the regime right before transition from laminar to turbulent flow (high-Reynolds 2×l0 4−4×l0 4<Re<3.5×l0 5−6×l0 6) in the Low Turbulence Channel at the University of Michigan. Limited experimental data are available in that regime. This research was initiated in 2004 studying high-damping VIV to convert hydrokinetic energy from ocean/river currents to electricity using the VIVACE Converter. The following experimental observations are made: low and high Reynolds VIV significantly differ. The range of synchronization of the upper branch increases with increase in Reynolds number. Amplitude ratio ( A/ D) increases with Reynolds number within the upper branch. For high-Reynolds, A/ D=1.9 is achieved routinely in spite of high damping. The lower branch disappears, overtaken by extended upper branch. High-Reynolds VIV enters into the 2P domain in the Williamson–Roshko (W–R) map beginning with the initial branch. Hysteresis is not observed in these experiments possibly because parameters remain in the 2P-domain. High Reynolds numbers have a stronger influence than mass ratio on A/ D. High-damping high-Reynolds VIV amplitudes are double of those predicted by the modified Griffin plot by extrapolation.