Numerical study on bifurcations in the wake of a circular disk

Abstract

Using Large-eddy simulation (LES), the dynamics in the wake of a circular disk with an aspect ratio of d/w = 5 is numerically studied. The circular disk is normal to the main flow, and Reynolds number ranges from 115 to 300. The first bifurcation is confirmed for Re = 120, leading to the steady state mode with a reflectional symmetry and a double-thread wake extending to the downstream. The Hopf bifurcation is found for Re = 152, and the planar symmetry is lost, which is different from that observed in the sphere wake; it is called the “reflectional-symmetry-breaking (RSB)” mode and the hairpin vortices in this mode are always shedding in a fixed orientation. The third bifurcation is captured for Re = 166, which is named the “standing wave (SW)” mode; the planar symmetry lost in RSB mode is recovered and the hairpin vortices are shedding in the oppositely sided orientations, unlike the ones observed in the sphere wake. The fourth bifurcation, referred to as “zigzag (ZZ)” mode, is observed for Re = 265 and the planar symmetry is lost again; the hairpin vortices are shedding in an irregular orientation and propagating in a zigzagged way; and a few small-scale structures begin to appear. Three different vortex shedding regimes are found in RSB, SW and ZZ modes, respectively. Results show that the recirculation region plays a significant role in the mode transitions, and the stagnation point of recirculation zone is conjectured to be the initial region causing the wake instability.