Numerical Simulation of Low Reynolds Number Incompressible Flow over Two Side-by-Side Circular Cylinders

Abstract

A second-order accurate unstructured collocated implicit finite volume method based on the primitive-variable formulation is used to study the flow field around a pair of cylinders arranged in side-by-side configuration. Numerical simulations are carried out for long time on a high-resolution mesh to obtain the appropriate evolution of the overall flow field and vortex structure of the wakes. A wide range of gaps between the cylinders is considered over a range of Reynolds numbers to study the sequential changes in the wake patterns and other important flow parameters. Both the input parameters have very strong influence on the wake pattern, which in turn has a dominant influence on the fluid dynamic forces. Mean drag coefficient, root-mean-squared lift coefficient and Strouhal number are correlated with the input parameters.

Keywords: Side-by-side cylinders, wake structure, gap flow, vortex pairing, flip-flopping wake, synchronized vortex shedding, unsteady fluid dynamic forces, collocated grid