In this paper results from simulating the vortex shedding phenomena behind a fixed tapered circular cylinder, at relatively high Reynolds numbers, are reported. Ansys-CFX computational fluid dynamics model, based on solving three-dimensional (3D) incompressible transient Navier Stokes equations, is employed for this purpose.
The geometries applied in the models resemble those used in wind tunnel experiments by other researchers. The taper slope along the cylinder span is uniform with a tangent of 24:1. The diameter at mid-span of the cylinder equals to 0.0389 m. The Reynolds number (based on the mid-span diameter) is around 29,000. The computational model has first been calibrated against experiments for uniform 3D cylinders as well as results from a Direct Numerical Simulation of turbulent wake with vortex shedding past a uniform circular cylinder, as obtained by other researchers.
The main flow characteristics for tapered cylinders such as vortex dislocations and splitting, cellular vortex shedding, oblique vortex shedding and the variation of the vorticity patterns along the tapered cylinder could be obtained from the simulations.
