Numerical Simulation of the Flow Around a Wall-Mounted Cylinder in General Orthogonal Coordinates

Investigators: Stuart S. Ochs, R. G. Rajagopalan

Sponsored by : AEEM Dept. @ ISU, Sandia National Laboratories


Summary

In the numerical solution of a system of partial differential equations, there is a need for the accurate representation of boundary conditions. This representation can be accomplished when the boundary is coincident with some coordinate line. The numerical solution of the Navier--Stokes equations in a three--dimensional, general orthogonal coordinate system was used to analyze the flow around a wall--mounted cylinder. The governing equations were discretized and solved by the method known as the SIMPLER algorithm.

Figure 1: Cylinder/flat plate juncture configuration.

The flow field around a circular cylinder extending from a flat plate is a complex configuration which includes separation and reattachment points and a horseshoe vortex. The cylinder/flat plate juncture configuration is shown in Figure 1. Figure 2 shows a section of the grid in the x-y plane. Streamline contours in the plane of symmetry are shown in Figure 3, which also indicates the location of the separation and reattachment points and the horseshoe vortex.

Figure 2: Grid section in the z-y plane.

Figure 3: Streamline contours in the plane of symmetry.