Abstract
This numerical study presents laminar, two-dimensional analyses of unconfined flow over two staggered square cylinders, oriented at a 45° angle relative to the incoming flow direction. The investigation examines six center-to-center gap spacing: S = 2D, 3D, 4D, 6D, 8D, 10D, and 12D, where D indicates the side length of the cylinders. The study covers a broad range of Reynolds numbers (Re), from 1 to 200, encompassing creeping, steady, and unsteady flow regimes. The primary objective is to assess the effects of both Re and S/D on flow patterns and associated quantities. Furthermore, the impact of computational domain size on the results for varying Re is examined. Another aim is to determine the critical Reynolds numbers (Recr) that trigger the onset of vortex shedding. The findings reveal that as S/D increases, Recr rises, gradually approaching the Recr value associated with a single cylinder. Four distinct time-averaged flow patterns are identified based on streamlines analysis. Generally, the downstream cylinder exerts a controlling influence on the flow dynamics of the upstream cylinder, while the upstream cylinder enhances vortex shedding from the downstream counterpart. The impact of Re and S/D on comprehensive aerodynamic characteristics is attributed to their contributions to determine the flow regime and pattern, the degree of vortex merging occurring behind the cylinders, and the flow intensity in the interstitial space. However, the significance of S becomes less pronounced for inter-cylinder distances exceeding 4D, due to diminished mutual interaction effects between the flows passing around the cylinders.
Published Version
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