Image Singularity System to Represent Two Circular Cylinders of Different Diameter

The singularity system to represent two circular cylinders poised under different ambient flow fields is considered in the present research. The singularity system, composed of a series of singularities, has to be truncated for numerical calculations. A rational criterion to determine how many terms of this series should be retained to maintain the prescribed accuracy is provided through analysis of the converging property of the series. A particular emphasis is put on how to deal with the discrete vortex model of a boundary layer, this possibility being the basis for the development of a tool to simulate vortex shedding from a structure composed of two circular cylinders. The principle in obtaining the present singularity system can be applied to more-than-two-cylinders structures. Only the series becomes more complex with an increase in the number of cylinders. [S0098-2202(00)01704-1]