Numerical analysis of the interference between two elastically mounted cylinders in tandem subject to flows at low Reynolds numbers

• Published in: Journal of the Brazilian Society of Mechanical Sciences and Engineering Vol. 41; no. 8; pp. 1 - 11
• Main Authors: Teixeira, Paulo R. F., Rechsteiner, Pedro P., Didier, Eric
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.08.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Arrays; Circular cylinders; Computational fluid dynamics; Downstream effects; Engineering; Finite element method; Fluid flow; Interference; Laminar flow; Mechanical Engineering; Numerical analysis; Reynolds number; Technical Paper; Upstream; Variation; Finite element method; Tandem arrangement; Circular cylinders; Wake interference; Vortex-induced vibration
• ISSN: 1678-5878; 1806-3691
• DOI: 10.1007/s40430-019-1835-3

Fluid-dynamic interference among cylindrical structures in arrays, frequently used in engineering, is of fundamental and practical interests since it may considerably change fluid–structure interactions and produce large fluctuating forces on structures that cause vibrations, lock-in and important motions. This paper aims to study the mutual interference between two circular cylinders in tandem arrangement, which is considered the simplest configuration of one array cylinders, elastically mounted in transversal direction and subject to a bi-dimensional uniform laminar flow at low Reynolds numbers. Both cylinders have the same diameter D, and the center-to-center spacing is equal to L  = 5.25 D which corresponds to co-shedding regime. The academic numerical model Ifeinco, which is based on the finite element method and uses a partitioned scheme that considers two-way interaction of fluid flow and structure, has been employed to the analysis. Combinations of upstream and downstream stationary and elastically mounted cylinders are investigated for Reynolds number range from 90 to 140. Differences of flow behaviors drag and lift forces and resonance between single cylinder and cylinders in tandem arrangement were found. Mutual and respective influences of upstream cylinder motion on the downstream cylinder and vice versa are analyzed. Results show that, in some engineering studies, the consideration of the flexibility of cylindrical structures in arrays is fundamental since it influences significantly the interference between cylinders, mainly the magnitude and direction of forces and characteristics of the resonance range, and, consequently, structural and dynamical behaviors.