Unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes simulation of the post-critical flow around a closely spaced group of silos

Abstract

During a storm in October 2002, wind induced ovalling vibrations were observed on several empty silos of a closely spaced group (pitch-to-diameter ratio of 1.05) consisting of 8 by 5 silos in the port of Antwerp (Belgium). Numerical simulations of the turbulent wind flow are performed to clarify the occurrence of the observed ovalling vibrations near the lee side corner of the group by studying the dynamic wind pressures on the silo surfaces and linking to the dynamic properties of the silo structures. As the orientation of the group largely affects the pressure distribution around the cylinders of the group, the influence of the angle of incidence of the wind flow on these ovalling vibrations is examined while other parameters, such as spacing ratio and Reynolds number are unchanged. To achieve results within a reasonable computation time, 2D unsteady Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations using Menter's shear stress transport turbulence model were performed. In order to elucidate the influence of the applied turbulence model and to qualitatively validate the spatial and temporal discretization of the 2D highly turbulent post-critical (Re=1.24×107) flow simulations for the silo group, single cylinder simulations were used. The geometric resemblance of the group arrangement with rectangular cylinders on the one hand and of the interstitial spaces with tube arrays (e.g. heat exchangers) on the other hand is used to qualitatively compare the observed flow phenomena. The simulations show that the silo group can be treated neither as a tube array nor as a solid bluff body. Subsequent linking of dynamic wind pressures to dynamic properties of the silo structures reveals strong narrow band frequency peaks in the turbulent pressure coefficient spectra of the silos near the lee side corners of the group that match the structural natural frequencies of the third and fourth ovalling mode shape of the silos. This match indicates a forced, resonant response which corresponds with the observed pattern of ovalling vibrations with three and four circumferential wavelengths. While the precise physical excitation mechanism is not yet fully understood, the simulations exclude discrete vortex shedding and since fluidelastic instability could not be considered, only turbulent buffeting remains which could very well give rise to the narrow band wake phenomena causing the ovalling silo wall vibrations.