Experimental determination of the main features of the viscous flow in the wake of a circular cylinder in uniform translation. Part 1. Steady flow

TLDR

The study investigates the closed wake and velocity distribution behind a circular cylinder moving perpendicular to its generating lines, quantifying how eddy geometry varies with Reynolds number (5–40) and the cylinder‑to‑tank diameter ratio λ. Using a visualization method in a viscous tank, the authors capture the hydrodynamic field of the cylinder’s uniform translation, enabling detailed observation of the wake and velocity profiles. Photographs illustrate the technique’s precision, the results are compared with existing numerical and experimental data, and the Reynolds‑number range for stable twin vortices is identified.

Abstract

A visualization method is used to obtain the main features of the hydrodynamic field for flow past a circular cylinder moving at a uniform speed in a direction perpendicular to its generating lines in a tank filled with a viscous liquid. Photographs are presented to show the particular fineness of the experimental technique. More especially, the closed wake and the velocity distribution behind the obstacle are investigated; the changes in the geometrical parameters describing the eddies with Reynolds number (5 < Re < 40) and with the ratio λ between the diameters of the cylinder and tank are given. A comparison with existing numerical and experimental results is presented and some remarks are made about the calculation techniques proposed up to the present. The limits of the Reynolds-number range for which the twin vortices exist and adhere stably to the cylinder are determined.