Hostname: page-component-6d856f89d9-5pczc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-16T05:21:12.840Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Velocity characteristics in the turbulent near wakes of confined axisymmetric bluff bodies

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 April 2006

A. M. K. P. Taylor
Affiliation:
Mechanical Engineering Department, Fluids Section, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London SW7 2BX
J. H. Whitelaw
Affiliation:
Mechanical Engineering Department, Fluids Section, Imperial College of Science and Technology, London SW7 2BX

Abstract

Measurements of the velocity characteristics and wall pressure are reported for the axisymmetric turbulent flow downstream of three bluff bodies (disks of 25% and 50% area blockage and a cone of 25% blockage) confined by a long pipe. The dimensions of the recirculation regions were found from the mean-velocity components, which were determined by a laser-Doppler velocimeter: the corresponding components of Reynolds stress were also recorded. The lengths and maximum widths of the recirculation bubbles (in bluff-body diameters), recirculating mass-flow rates (normalized by the average velocity in the plane of the baffle, U0, and the baffle diameter) and maximum turbulent kinetic energy (normalized by U02) were as follows: cone 1.55, 0.55, 0.19, 0.11; disk (25% blockage) 1.75, 0.62, 0.31, 0.19; disk (50% blockage) 2.20, 0.55, 0.26, 0.16. The increase in recirculation length with blockage is opposite to the trend in unconfined, annular jets. The distribution of Reynolds stresses is strongly dependent on blockage: for the smaller blockage both the disk and the cone have the maximum value of kinetic energy near the rear stagnation point. It is proposed that this is because the generation of turbulence by normal stresses is more important in the flow consequent on the smaller blockage.

The measurements include profiles of the velocity characteristics at, as well as upstream of, the trailing edges of the baffles for use as boundary conditions in numerical solutions of the equations of motion.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
© 1984 Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bradshaw, P. 1971 An Introduction to Turbulence and its Measurement. Pergamon.
Calvert, J. R. 1967 Experiments on the low-speed flow past cones J. Fluid Mech. 27, 273289.Google Scholar
Carmody, T. 1964 Establishment of the wake behind a disc. Trans. ASME D: J. Basic Engng 86, 869869.Google Scholar
Castro, I. P. & Robins, A. G. 1977 The flow around a surface-mounted cube in uniform and turbulent streams J. Fluid Mech. 79, 307335.Google Scholar
Chigier, N. A. & Gilbert, J. L. 1968 Recirculation eddies in the wake of flameholders J. Inst. Fuel, 41, 105113.Google Scholar
Crabb, D., DURÃO, D. F. G. & Whitelaw, J. H. 1981 Velocity characteristics in the vicinity of a two-dimensional rib. Paper presented at 3rd Symp. on Turbulent Shear Flows, Davis, California, 9–11 September 1981.
Davies, T. W. & BÉER, J. M. 1971 Flow in the wake of bluff-body flame stabilisers. In Proc. 13th Symp (Intl) on Combustion, pp. 631638. Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh.
Duráto, D. F. G., Founti, M. & Whitelaw, J. H. 1979 Velocity characteristics of three-dimensional disc-stabilised diffusion flames Lett. Heat Mass Transfer 6, 113.Google Scholar
Duráto, D. F. G. & Whitelaw, J. H. 1978 Velocity characteristics of the flow in the near wake of a disk J. Fluid Mech. 85, 369385.Google Scholar
Durst, F., Melling, A. & Whitelaw, J. H. 1981 Principles and Practice of Laser-Doppler Anemometry, 2nd edn. Academic.
Etheridge, D. W. & Kemp, P. H. 1978 Measurements of turbulent flow downstream of a rearward-facing step J. Fluid Mech. 86, 545566.Google Scholar
Fail, R., Lawford, J. A. & Eyre, R. C. W. 1957 Low speed experiments on the wake characteristics of flat plates normal to an air stream. Min. of Supply, R. & M. no. 3120, RAE Rep. Aero. 25160.Google Scholar
Fujii, S., Gomi, M. & Eguchi, K. 1978 Cold flow tests of a bluff-body flame stabilizer. Trans. ASME I: J. Fluids Engng 100, 323323.Google Scholar
George, W. K. & Lumley, J. L. 1973 The laser-Doppler velocimeter and its application to the measurement of turbulence J. Fluid Mech. 60, 321.Google Scholar
Humphries, W. & Vincent, J. H. 1976a Experiments to investigate transport processes in the near wakes of disks in turbulent air flow J. Fluid Mech. 75, 737749.Google Scholar
Humphries, W. & Vincent, J. H. 1976b Near wake properties of axisymmetric bluff body flows Appl. Sci. Res. 32, 649669.Google Scholar
Kirmse, R. 1974 Optische Probleme bei der Anwendung des Laser-Doppler Anemometers zur Messung von Strömungsgeschwindigkeiten in Flüssigkeiten. Arch. f. tech. Messen, Blatt V, 12461.Google Scholar
Mcguirk, J. J., Taylor, A. M. K. P. & Whitelaw, J. H. 1982 The assessment of numerical diffusion in upwind difference calculations of turbulent recirculating flows. In Turbulent Shear Flows 3 (ed. L. J. S. Bradbury et al.), pp. 206224. Springer.
Moss, W. D., Baker, S. & Bradbury, L. J. S. 1979 Measurements of mean velocity and Reynolds stresses in some regions of recirculating flow. In Turbulent Shear Flows I (ed. F. Durst et al.), pp. 198207. Springer.
Smyth, R. 1979 Turbulent flow over a disk normal to a wall. Trans. ASME I: J. Fluids Engng 101, 461461.Google Scholar
Sullerey, R. K., Gupta, A. K. & Moorthy, C. S. 1975 Similarity in the turbulent near wake of bluff bodies AIAA J. 13, 14251430.Google Scholar
Taylor, A. M. K. P. 1981 Confined, isothermal and combusting flows behind axisymmetric baffles. Ph.D. thesis, University of London.
Winterfeld, G. 1965 On processes of turbulent exchange behind flame holders. In Proc. 10th Symp. (Intl) on Combustion, pp. 12651275. Combustion Institute, Pittsburgh.