Effect of Tube Spacing on the Vortex Shedding Characteristics of Laminar Flow Past an Inline Tube Array

The effect of tube spacing on the vortex shedding characteristics and fluctuating forces in an inline tube array is examined. The array consists of 6 cylinders in tandem, the examined Reynolds number is 100 and the flow is laminar. The numerical methodology and the code employed to solve the equations in an unstructured grid are validated against available results from the literature for the flow past two cylinders in tandem. Computations are then performed for the 6 row inline bank for 8 pitch-to-diameter ratios s ranging from 2.1 to 4. The instantaneous flow patterns are visualised for different spacings and the lift and drag coefficients for all cylinders are recorded and analysed. At the smallest spacing examined (s = 2.1) there are five stagnant and symmetric recirculation zones and weak vortex shedding activity occurs behind the last cylinder only. As s increases, the symmetry of the recirculation zones breaks leading to vortex shedding. This process progressively moves upstream, so that for s = 4 there is clear shedding for every row. The shedding frequency behind each cylinder is the same and increases with tube spacing. A spacing region between 3d and 3.6d is identified, within which rms drag and lift coefficients attain maximum values. This behaviour is explained with the aid of instantaneous flow patterns.