Flow characteristics around rectangular cylinders in tandem

Abstract

An experimental investigation of mean pressure distribution around two square cylinders in tandem is presented. Also the mean veloci ty distribution in. the wake of the two cylinders were studied. Pnssure and velocity distributions were measured for various longitudinal spacings of the cylinders. Three different Reynolds numbers were taken into consideration. Drag and lift co-efficients were c~culated by numerical integration. A critical longitudinal spacing equal to four times the side dimension of the square cylinder (LID = 4) was investigated. Beyond that critical spacing both the cylinders were subjected to drag force. 'Nhen LID <4 only the downstream cylinder is subjected to negative drag (or thrust). Also t~e shape of the velocity profile behind upstream cylinder is different from that of single cylinder. However beyond LID = 4 the nature of the velocity profile behind both the cylinder becomes similar to that of a single cylinder. The variation of Reynolds number have no appreciable change in cp distribution for cylinders arranged in tandem.