Wake of two tandem square cylinders

Abstract

The wake of two tandem square cylinders of identical width (d) is experimentally studied, with a view to understanding the dependence of the flow structure, aerodynamics forces and Strouhal number on the centre-to-centre spacing ratio L/d and Reynolds number Re, where L is the distance between the cylinder centres. Extensive measurements are carried out, using hot-wire, particle imaging velocimetry, laser-induced fluorescence flow visualization, surface-oil-flow visualization and surface pressure scanning techniques, for L/d = 1.0 ~ 5.0 and Re ≡ U∞d/ν = 2.8 × (103 ~ 104), where U∞ is the free-stream velocity and ν is the kinematic viscosity of the fluid. The flow is classified into four regimes, i.e. the extended-body (L/d ≤ 1.5–2.0), reattachment (1.5–2.0 < L/d < 2.7–3.2), co-shedding (L/d ≥ 3.0–3.4) and transition (2.7 ≤ L/d ≤ 3.3) where both reattachment and co-shedding phenomena may take place. The mean drag and fluctuating drag and lift exhibit distinct features for different flow regimes, which is fully consistent with the proposed flow classification. Comparison is made between this flow and the wake of two tandem circular cylinders, which provides valuable insight into the profound effect of the flow separation point and the presence of sharp corners on the flow development and classification.