Numerical solution of flow past two circular cylinders in different arrangement rotating in various directions

Abstract

The combined effects of different rotation types and the Reynolds number on the flow past two rotating circular cylinders about their axes in different arrangement (Side-by-side and tandem) were considered at a range of 520 ≤ Re ≤ 1570 and 0 ≤ ω ≤ 4 (ω is the rotational speed) at one gap spacing of L/D = 2 for a side-by-side arrangement, ω = 0, 2000 ≤ Re ≤ 21000 and L/D = 2 and 4/3 for tandem arrangement (L and D are the distance between the centers of two cylinders and the cylinder diameter, respectively). The results show that the variation of both rotation speed and Reynolds number have an important role in changing the pattern of vortex shedding. As the rotational speed further increases, the separation phenomenon in the boundary layers disappears at the attachment rotational speed. Regardless of Reynolds number, as ω increases, the lift decreases for up and down cylinders while the drag decreases for up cylinder and increases for down cylinder. Quantitative information is highlighted about the flow variables such as the pressure coefficient the Stanton number, the skin friction factor and wall viscous coefficient of the cylinders.