Numerical simulation of a flow around an impulsively started radially deforming circular cylinder

Abstract

The development of a two-dimensional viscous incompressible flow generated by a deformable circular cylinder impulsively started into rectilinear motion is studied numerically for the Reynolds numbers equal to 550 and 3000. The vorticity transport equation is solved by a second-order finite difference method in both directions of the domains. The Poisson equation for the streamfunction is solved by a Fourier–Galerkin method in the direction of the flow that is assumed to remain symmetrical and a second-order finite difference for the radial direction. The advance in time is achieved by a second-order Adams–Bashforth scheme. The computed results are compared qualitatively with experimental and numerical results done before in the particular non-deformable case. The comparison is found to be satisfactory. The influence of the deformation of the cylinder on the flow structure and the drag coefficient is then analyzed. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.