Suppression Of Vortex Shedding Research Articles

Numerical study on the flow and noise control mechanisms of a forced rotating cylinder

This numerical study proposes an active control method aiming to suppress aerodynamic noise from bluff bodies by employing a forced rotating cylinder and investigates its noise reduction effects and mechanisms. A three-dimensional large eddy simulation combined with the Ffowcs William–Hawkings equation was adopted to study the influence of different rotation ratios on the aerodynamic and aeroacoustic characteristics of a cylinder at a Reynolds number of 4.7×104, and to elucidate the primary mechanisms by which cylinder rotation reduces aerodynamic noise. The numerical method is validated through a comparison with previous numerical and experimental results of both flow field and far-field noise. The present numerical results indicate that cylinder rotation can not only effectively reduce aerodynamic drag but also significantly suppress aerodynamic noise across the entire frequency range, including vortex-shedding tonal noise and broadband noise. Two primary mechanisms of flow and noise control by the rotating cylinder are revealed within different ranges of rotation ratio. One mechanism stabilizes the shear layer, thereby suppressing vortex shedding. The other mechanism attenuates the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability on the upper side of the cylinder, leading to a transition into laminar flow which inhibits the formation of large-scale coherent turbulent structures.

Omnidirectional control of the wake of a circular cylinder with spinning rods subject to a turbulent flow

We numerically investigate the attribute of omnidirectionality of the flow-control system comprised of a large circular cylinder equipped with eight spinning rods of smaller diameter, subject to an incoming flow that adopts different angles of attack. Detached-eddy simulations are employed to compute hydrodynamic loads and to provide flow topology at a Reynolds number of 1000. Two cases are assessed regarding the rods angular velocities. In case 0, all rods spun with the same angular velocity. In case 1, velocities were inspired by potential-flow theory. The two systems have the same input kinetic energy in common. To assess the system response, the velocities were increased proportionally. Both cases succeeded in reducing the mean drag. However, while case 1 proved to become ever “more omnidirectional” with increasing angular velocities, case 0 demonstrated to be prone to the angle of attack as it was unable to suppress vortex shedding for sufficiently large slopes of the incoming flow, and in such circumstances, unable to reduce hydrodynamic forces. We verify that the lift is mitigated in case 1, in contrast to case 0. Even for a vortex-free downstream flow resulting from configurations of high velocities and high angle of attack, the latter produces asymmetric recirculation regions downstream of the system that drive a pressure imbalance. The different outcomes of the two systems are also explored from the viewpoint of power consumption, and it is revealed that the omnidirectionality of case 1 is intrinsically related to the emphasis imposed on rotation rates of a subset of the eight rods.

Flow dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of flows past a zigzag cylinder in a bounded domain

A comprehensive numerical and experimental study is conducted to investigate the flow dynamics and heat transfer characteristics of flows past a novel wavy-axis circular cylinder placed symmetrically between two parallel walls. For comparison, the flow past a corresponding straight-axis cylinder within the same bounded domain is also studied. The investigations were primarily conducted at Reynolds numbers of 626 and 680, based on the average velocity and diameter of the cylinder, with a blockage ratio of 0.42, based on the widest area of the channel. At these flow conditions, the straight cylinder expectedly showed a “reverse” von Kármán type wake. However, the special zigzag cylinder showed fundamentally distinct flow patterns at the wake leading to a significant drag reduction and a heat transfer enhancement, compared to the performance of the straight cylinder. The pressure drop of the zigzag cylinder is 14 % and 19.4 % lower than that of the straight cylinder, with a higher convective heat transfer coefficient of 24 % and 9 %, respectively, for Reynolds numbers of 626 and 680. The substantial drag reduction is attributed to the formation of steady flow pattern in the wake indicating the suppression of unsteady vortex shedding. The heat transfer enhancement was mainly caused by the formation of elongated vortical structures principally aligned in the streamwise direction. The creation of these streamwise vortex tubes tends to more efficiently mix the fluid between the near-wall area and the core region of the channel than the near-planar vortex shedding associated to the straight cylinder. It was shown that the 3D shape of the zigzag cylinder generates a spanwise velocity component, which results in the creation of a dominant streamwise vorticity component that eventually develops into sustained vortex tubes.

Experimental investigation of the wake of tandem cylinders using pivoted flapping mechanism for piezoelectric flag

In this paper, the current of ocean at a depth with the velocity of 0.1–0.3 m/s has been studied. The effect of the mounting mechanism of the piezoelectric flag on the energy efficiency of the energy harvester is investigated. The flag is mounted uniquely, and the results are analyzed to explain the underlying mechanism associated with variations in power output. The experiments described extend our previous work and it is the experimental investigation of the baseline case for our previous work. It was found that using a pivoted mounting mechanism caused a significant improvement in flapping amplitude (51%) and dominant frequency (23%). The variation in the flag's distance from the bluff body (Gd) is also investigated. The maximum output for a passively mounted flag was obtained at Gd=2D due to the existence of a vortex core position at the same point where the flag's head was positioned. The same mechanism is implemented for tandem cylinder arrangement. The study found that increasing the distance between the bluff bodies resulted in the suppression of vortex shedding of the upstream cylinder by the rear cylinder. However, this behavior was found to be random and was thoroughly explored in this study. The obtained results were also verified through the flow visualization technique. A comparative analysis is made to show the optimal performance of the harvester by fine-tuning parameters such as the gap between cylinders and piezo flag, flow rate, and flag-mounting technique. The comparative analysis with benchmark cases demonstrated a rise in the A/L ratio by 30.25% and in the flapping frequency by 19.09% in the case of 120° cut C-shaped inverted cylinder upstream, indicating a higher percentage gain of 66% more energy harvesting. An increase of 51.18% in the A/L ratio and 22.79% in flapping frequency with the use of a pivot-mounted piezoelectric flag was observed, indicating higher energy harvesting performance compared to the baseline case (circular cylinder with fixed flag head).

Deep reinforcement learning-based active flow control of an elliptical cylinder: Transitioning from an elliptical cylinder to a circular cylinder and a flat plate

We study the adaptability of deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based active flow control (AFC) technology for bluff body flows with complex geometries. It is extended from a cylinder with an aspect ratio Ar = 1 to a flat elliptical cylinder with Ar = 2, slender elliptical cylinders with Ar less than 1, and a flat plate with Ar = 0. We utilize the Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) algorithm to precisely control the mass flow rates of synthetic jets located on the upper and lower surfaces of a cylinder to achieve reduction in drag, minimization of lift, and suppression of vortex shedding. Our research findings indicate that, for elliptical cylinders with Ar between 1.75 and 0.75, the reduction in drag coefficient ranges from 0.9% to 15.7%, and the reduction in lift coefficient ranges from 95.2% to 99.7%. The DRL-based control strategy not only significantly reduces lift and drag, but also completely suppresses vortex shedding while using less than 1% of external excitation energy, demonstrating its efficiency and energy-saving capabilities. Additionally, for Ar from 0.5 to 0, the reduction in drag coefficient ranges from 26.9% to 43.6%, and the reduction in lift coefficient from 50.2% to 68.0%. This reflects the control strategy's significant reduction in both drag and lift coefficients, while also alleviating vortex shedding. The interaction and nonlinear development of vortices in the wake of elliptical cylinders lead to complex flow instability, and DRL-based AFC technology shows adaptability and potential in addressing flow control problems for this type of bluff body flow.

Robust and adaptive deep reinforcement learning for enhancing flow control around a square cylinder with varying Reynolds numbers

The present study applies a Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) algorithm to Active Flow Control (AFC) of a two-dimensional flow around a confined square cylinder. Specifically, the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) algorithm is employed to modulate the flow of a pair of synthetic jets placed on the upper and lower surfaces of the confined squared cylinder in flow configurations characterized by Re of 100, 200, 300, and 400. The investigation starts with an analysis of the baseline flow in the absence of active control. It is observed that at Re = 100 and Re = 200, the vortex shedding exhibits mono-frequency characteristics. Conversely, at Re = 300 and Re = 400, the vortex shedding is dominated by multiple frequencies, which is indicative of more complex flow features. With the application of the SAC algorithm, we demonstrate the capability of DRL-based control in effectively suppressing vortex shedding, while significantly diminishing drag and fluctuations in lift. Quantitatively, the data-driven active control strategy results in a drag reduction of approximately 14.4%, 26.4%, 38.9%, and 47.0% for Re = 100, 200, 300, and 400, respectively. To understand the underlying control mechanism, we also present detailed flow field comparisons, which showcase the adaptability of DRL in devising distinct control strategies tailored to the dynamic conditions at varying Re. These findings substantiate the ability of DRL to control chaotic, multi-frequency dominated vortex shedding phenomena, underscoring the robustness of DRL in complex AFC problems.

Fluid structure interaction problem for flow past three unequal sized square cylinders at different Reynolds numbers

The flow past three square cylinders of unequal size placed in an inline arrangement is studied using the lattice Boltzmann method at different Reynolds numbers [Re = (u∞ d)/ν] within the range of Re = 120, 150, 160, 175, and 200 for various gap spacings (g = s/d), ranging from 1 to 6. This study focused on the symmetric examination of flow behavior for various gap spacing within the three unequal-sized square cylinders. The main objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Reynolds numbers and gap spacing for flow structure mechanism and vortex shedding suppression in between the gap and down-stream position of all three cylinders. Results are obtained in terms of vorticity contours visualization, drag and lift coefficients, Strouhal number, and physical parameters. In vorticity contour visualization, different flow behaviors are observed, known as flow regimes, and are named according to their characteristics, and they are (i) steady flow regime, (ii) shear layer reattachment flow regime (SLR), (iii) fully developed vortex shedding flow regime, (iv) two-row fully developed vortex shedding flow regime, and (v) fully developed irregular vortex shedding flow regime. The present study also includes a discussion on aerodynamic forces, namely the mean drag coefficient (Cdmean), root mean square of the lift coefficient (Clrms), and Strouhal numbers (St) for three cylinders with sizes d = 20, d1 = 15, and d2 = 10, respectively. The maximum value of Cdmean for the first cylinder (C1) is obtained at (Re, g) = (200, 3) that is, 1.5156, where the existing flow regime is the SLR flow regime, while for C2 and C3, the maximum Cdmean values are examined at critical flow behaviors, where the existing flow regime is a fully developed irregular vortex shedding flow regime. Negative values of Cdmean are also examined for cylinders C2 and C3 at some combinations of (Re, g), attributed to the effect of thrust. Furthermore, it is noticed that the values of Strouhal number are increased with an increment in values of gap spacing. The highest value of the Strouhal number for all three cylinders is observed for C1 at (Re, g) = (120, 5), reaching 0.1556 along with a two-row fully developed flow regime. Furthermore, it is investigated from the present problem that the position of unequal sized square cylinders strongly influenced the flow structure mechanism. The information found and discussed in this study could be effective for structure designing arrangement in the case of three square cylinders of unequal size placed in a horizontal arrangement.

Enhanced Aerodynamic Performance of a Two-Dimensional Airfoil Using Moving Boundaries

The effects of moving boundary conditions on the aerodynamic performance of a two-dimensional NACA 0012 airfoil at different angles of attack (α) in a uniform freestream at a Reynolds number of 10,000 are numerically studied. The moving boundary conditions are motivated by inviscid potential flow around the airfoil, which also satisfies the viscous equations of motion. In this study, the wall is moved at the slip velocity of the inviscid flow, or a fraction of it. These prescribed moving boundary conditions are shown to suppress vortex shedding, thus allowing the drag to go toward zero and the lift coefficient toward 2πα over a wide range of angles of attack (α≤20°) even in the separated flow regime. It is shown that moving boundary conditions are effective over a wide range of their strengths with respect to the overall power required (required to overcome aerodynamic drag and move the airfoil boundary). This power is shown to attain a minimum near the inviscid flow moving boundary condition, which is around 10% or less of the power required for the stationary boundary condition. Finally, the effectiveness of the moving boundary conditions is demonstrated for fully turbulent flow regimes at Re=6 million as well.

Flapping vortex dynamics of two coupled side-by-side flexible plates submerged in the wake of a square cylinder

The flapping vortex dynamics of two flexible plates submerged side-by-side in the wake of a square cylinder are investigated through a two-way fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulation. The gap between the two plates can stabilize wakes, lengthen vortex formation, elongate vortices, suppress vortex shedding, and decrease hydrodynamic forces. The numerical results indicate that the two flexible plates can exhibit four distinct modes of coupled motion: out-of-phase flapping, in-phase flapping, transition flapping, and decoupled flapping, depending on the gap spacing. Additionally, it is discovered that each of the four coupling modes has a unique pattern of vortex development. The findings of this study should proved valuable in the design of FSI-based piezoelectric energy harvesters utilizing cylinder–plate systems.

Numerical Simulation of Cavitation Control around a Circular Cylinder Using Porous Surface by Volume Penalized Method

In this work, we conducted a numerical study on the cavitation flow around a circular cylinder with Re=200 and σ=1, through the implementation of a porous coating. The primary objective addressed the effectiveness of utilizing a porous surface to control cavitation. We analyzed the cavitation dynamics around the cylinder and the hydrodynamic performance at different permeability levels of the porous surfaces (K=10−12−10−10). The flow was governed by the density-based homogeneous mixture model, and the volume penalization method was used to deal with the porous layer. A high-order compact numerical method was adopted for the simulation of the cavitating flow through solving the preconditioned multiphase equations. The hydrodynamic findings demonstrated that the fluctuations in the lift coefficient decreased when the porous layer was applied. However, it is not possible to precisely express an opinion about drag because the drag coefficient may vary, either increasing or decreasing, depending on the permeability within a constant thickness of the porous layer. The results revealed that the application of a porous layer led to the effective suppression of cavitation vortex shedding. In addition, a reduction of the shedding frequency was obtained, which was accompanied by thinner and elongated vortices in the wake region of the cylinder. With the proper porous layer, the inception of the cavitation on the cylinder was suppressed, and the amplitude of pressure pulsations due to the cavitation shedding mechanism was mitigated.

On the rotation of a Savonius turbine at low Reynolds numbers subject to Kolmogorov cascade of turbulence

With an increasing demand for small energy generation in urban areas, small-scale Savonius wind turbines are growing their share rapidly. In such an environment, Savonius turbines are exposed to low mean velocity with highly turbulent flows made by complex geographies. Here, we report the flow-induced rotation of a Savonius turbine in a highly turbulent flow (18% turbulence intensity). The high turbulence is realized by using the far-field of an open-jet. Compared to low turbulence inflow (1% turbulence intensity), the turbine rotates 4% faster in high turbulence since the torque/power increases with turbulence intensity. The wake measurement by hot-wire anemometry and particle image velocimetry reveals the suppression of vortex shedding in high turbulence. In addition, a newly developed semi-empirical low-order model, which can include the effect of turbulence intensity and integral length scale, also confirms high turbulence intensity contributes to the rotation of the turbine. These results will boost more installation of small Savonius turbines in urban areas in the future.

On the omnidirectionality of a system with eight spinning rods for wake control of a circular cylinder in laminar regime

We investigate the omnidirectionality of a system comprised of a main circular cylinder (of diameter D) fitted with eight rotating rods (of diameter d=D/20) acting as wake-control devices over the incoming flow of velocity U∞ and viscosity ν. The gap between rods and main body is G/D=1/100. Finite-volume simulations were conducted at a Reynolds number Re=U∞D/ν=100 in two configurations: One in which all rods spun with the same angular velocity (case 0); and another, in which the rotation speeds were inspired by potential-flow theory (case 1). We show through analysis of hydrodynamic coefficients, vorticity contours and power consumption that both configurations reduced mean drag, eliminated the vortex wake, and were negligibly affected in terms of power loss by the angle of attack. Nevertheless, the two cases showed different behaviours regarding omnidirectionality: While case 1 became ever “more omnidirectional” (that is, less susceptible to the angle of attack to render null mean lift and suppress vortex shedding) with increasing angular speeds, case 0 produced an imbalanced, yet steady, wake that led to larger absolute values of mean lift at higher speeds. The relative importance of each rod of the system is explained, and it becomes clear that merely introducing actuating power into the rods’ motion does not translate directly into better wake control. Rather, it is essential that the rotation speeds are appropriately weighted according to the position of the rods relative to regions of boundary and shear layer, and wake of the main body.

Optimizing flow control with deep reinforcement learning: Plasma actuator placement around a square cylinder

This study introduces a deep reinforcement learning-based flow control approach to enhance the efficiency of multiple plasma actuators on a square cylinder. The research seeks to adjust the control inputs of these actuators to diminish both drag and lift forces on the cylinder, ensuring flow stability in the process. The proposed model uses a two-dimensional direct numerical simulation of flow past a square cylinder to represent the environment. The control approach involves adjusting the AC voltage across three specific configurations of the plasma actuators. Initially tested at a Reynolds number (ReD) of 100, this strategy was later applied at ReD of 180. We observed a 97% reduction in the mean drag coefficient at ReD = 100 and a 99% reduction at ReD = 180. Furthermore, the findings suggest that increasing the Reynolds number makes it harder to mitigate vortex shedding using plasma actuators on just the cylinder's rear surface. However, an optimized configuration of these actuators can fully suppress vortex shedding under the proposed control scheme.

Flow past rotating cylinders using deterministic vortex method

This study examines the performance of an in-house code based on a deterministic vortex method on circular and square cylinders rotating with constant velocity. Subjecting a bluff body to rotary about its axis effectively reduces drag forces, suppresses the fluctuating forces, and increases the lift forces (known as the Magnus effect). Rotating cylinders are well known for their use in rotor ships, rotor aircrafts, and wind turbines. This study aims to establish the accuracy of the in-house code for the rotating circle cylinders based on the results from the literature and examine the behavior of the rotating square cylinders (a less-studied case). A square section, as a many-sided shape, can be considered when the behavior of more complex geometries is of interest, such as trajectories of the sediments, or replacing circular sections when autorotation is of importance. Both cylinders are exposed to a uniform flow of Re = 200 and an imposed rotation rate range of 0 ≤ α ≤ 5.5 for the circular, and 0 ≤ α ≤ 5 for the square cylinder. The present numerical tool is able to predict the vortex shedding suppression as a result of forced rotation. For both cases, a systematic increase in the time-averaged lift coefficient (≈25.5 for the circular and ≈26 for the square case when α = 5) and a general descending trend in the time-averaged drag coefficient (≈0.03 for the circular and ≈0 for the square case when α = 5) are detected. The second mode of vortex shedding for the circular cylinder is captured within a narrow range of rotation rates. A noticeable feature of the flow over rotating square cylinders is the emergence of near-field wakes in the near-body region, which develop independently from the wake behind the body. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study of a rotating body carried out using a deterministic vortex method-based numerical tool.

Application of CFD on VIM of semi-submersible FOWT: A Case Study

This study examines the Vortex Induced Motions (VIM) of the INO WINDMOOR 12 MW semi-submersible Floating Offshore Wind Turbine (FOWT) platform using three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). The results from both model- and full-scale simulations are presented. The model scale results reveal varying VIM performances at different current headings, with detailed flow visualizations and analyses of hydrodynamic loads on FOWT components providing insights into the underlying wake interaction scenarios. One simulation shows bifurcated VIM, where regular motions are intermittently interrupted due to simultaneous suppression of vortex shedding on all FOWT columns. Preliminary full-scale CFD results suggest a strong scale effect. The paper concludes with a discussion on how CFD simulation can be more effectively used in VIM research.

Drag reduction of a cylinder by using spiral protuberances to generate three-dimensional surface flow

The air flow around a circular cylinder with 12 spiral protuberances was investigated via wind tunnel static force and surface pressure measurement tests to study drag reduction. A comparison with the flow characteristics of a smooth cylinder is presented herein. Kármán vortex shedding was suppressed and drag reduction of approximately 33% was observed within the Reynolds number (Re) range of 1.3×104 to 3.1×104. This drag reduction was associated with the three-dimensional surface flow caused by the guiding effect of the protuberances. The guiding effect became more significant with an increasing Re and helped delay the separation points. Therefore, upon the suppression of vortex shedding, Re dependence phased out, and instead, the flow was controlled by the spiral protuberances, and a constant dimensionless drag was achieved.

Publisher's Note: “Suppression of vortex shedding in the wake of a circular cylinder through high-frequency in-line oscillation” [Phys. Fluids 35, 073605 (2023)

Publisher's Note: “Suppression of vortex shedding in the wake of a circular cylinder through high-frequency in-line oscillation” [Phys. Fluids <b>35</b>, 073605 (2023)

A numerical study on the benefits of passive-arc plates on drag and noise reductions of a cylinder in turbulent flow

In this study, we introduce a novel arrangement consisting of two arc plates around a cylinder with the privilege of improved fluid flow and noise control. The arc plates are placed symmetrically and concentrically at the rear portion of a circular cylinder. The coverage angle (30 °≤β≤75°) of the plates and the normalized radius of arc plates (1.125≤Rd≤1.625) are varied to find the optimum case in terms of drag and noise reductions. The simulations are performed for a turbulent flow with a Reynolds number of 22 000. The numerical analysis is based on an unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) solver and Ffowcs Williams and Hawkings (FW–H) acoustic analogy. It is found that by implementing the arc plates, the noise level and drag coefficient decrease dramatically. The results also reveal a strong correlation between the vortex shedding suppression and the noise reduction. It is shown that as the fluctuation of lift force decreases, the performance of flow and noise control enhances simultaneously. Furthermore, the noise assessment indicates that in a specific configuration of the arc plates, the overall sound pressure level decreases by around 51 dB compared to the uncontrolled case with no arc plates. Also, a maximum noise reduction of 27 dB is achieved, in which the drag coefficient reduces by 39% compared to the case with no arc plates. In conclusion, the results provide strong support for the proposed passive method as a beneficial strategy for noise reduction and wake control of cylindrical structures, which have wide applications in industry.

Numerical Assessment of Flow Energy Harvesting Potential in a Micro-Channel

A micro-energy harvesting device proposed in the literature was numerically studied. It consists of two bluff bodies in a micro-channel and a flexible diaphragm at its upper wall. Vortex shedding behind bodies induces pressure fluctuation causing vibration of the diaphragm that converts mechanical energy to electrical by means of a piezoelectric membrane. Research on enhancing vortex shedding was justified due to the low power output of the device. The amplitude and frequency of the unsteady pressure fluctuation on the diaphragm were numerically predicted. The vortex shedding severity was mainly assessed in terms of pressure amplitude. The CFD model set-up was described in detail, and appropriate metrics to assess the energy harvesting potential were defined. Several 2D cases were simulated to study the effect of the inlet Reynolds number and channel blockage ratio on the prospective performance of the device. Furthermore, the critical blockage ratio leading to the vortex shedding suppression was sought. A higher inlet velocity for a constant blockage ratio was found to enhance vortex shedding and the pressure drop. Great blockage ratio values but lower than the critical ones seemed to provide great pressure amplitudes at the expense of a moderate pressure drop. There is evidence that the field is fruitful for further research and relevant directions were provided.

Pressure coherence and flow structure of a twisted elliptical cylinder at moderate Reynolds number

In this study, we performed an experimental study to explore the surface pressures and flow structures around twisted elliptic (TE) cylinders at a Reynolds number of 3.8 × 104. Two TE cylinders, denoted as TE11 and TE12, with aspect ratios of 1.1 and 1.2 for elliptical cross-sections, respectively, were selected to compare the performance of vortex shedding suppression. The distribution characteristics of the fluctuating pressure at different spanwise positions and the phase difference and coherence function between the pressure signals were analyzed. The results showed that TE12 cylinder was not dominated by antiphase shedding vortices, as in the baseline and TE11 cylinders, but rather by low-frequency components in the flow field, yielding a Gaussian distribution of the fluctuating pressure. The pressure pulsations were significantly asymmetric for the TE12 cylinder due to the earlier flow separation on the upper surface, but this asymmetry was not apparent for the TE11 cylinder. The Reynolds shear stress distribution revealed that the transition to turbulence in the separated layer was significantly delayed by the TE surface. Moreover, for TE12 cylinder, zero turbulence fluctuations in the near wake explained the low-frequency domination of the pressure fluctuations, resulting in 93.8% attenuation of the lift fluctuations.