DOI: 10.1615/TSFP5
SIMULATION OF TURBULENT FLOW AROUND TWO CYLINDERS IN TANDEM
RÉSUMÉ
The physics of the flow around two equal-diameter cylinders in tandem, with centres separated by 5.1 diameters, is discussed by reference to well-resolved large eddy simulations, with initial single-cylinder simulations providing evidence on the adequacy of the computational methodology. The emphasis is on analysing the interaction of the rear cylinder with the turbulent wake of the front cylinder - in particular, the manner by which the rear cylinder deflects and fragments the oncoming large vortices shed from the front cylinder. The study demonstrates, among others, that the shedding from the rear cylinder is locked to that of the front cylinder. Histories of drag, lift, and vorticity flux are considered to illuminate major physical processes. The results demonstrate the importance of sufficient spanwise extent in allowing the 3-dimensional character of the flow to be simulated.