DOI: 10.1615/TSFP2
3D-TRANSITI0N OF THE WAKE FLOW BEHIND A HEATED CYLINDER
ABSTRACT
The 3D-transition of the wake flow behind a heated cylinder is studied experimentally using flow visualization. The Reynolds number is fixed at ReD = 115 and the Richardson number is varied between RiD = 0 (forced convection case) and RiD = 1.5 (mixed convection case). Visualization experiments are carried out in a towing tank facility with water as the working fluid. From the results it is seen that mushroom-type structures appear on top of the upper vortex row leading to an early breakdown of the vortex street. The appearance of these mushroom-type structures occurs more upstream for higher Richardson values. From detailed visualization experiments it is concluded that the spanwise distribution of these structures is determined in the wake of the heated cylinder close to the cylinder wall.