The wake flow past an axisymmetric body of revolution at a diameter-based Reynolds number$$Re=u_{\infty }D/\nu =5000$$is investigated via a direct numerical simulation. The study is focused on identification of coherent vortical motions and the dominant frequencies in this flow. Three dominant coherent motions are identified in the wake: the vortex shedding motion with the frequency of$$St=fD/u_{\infty }=0.27$$, the bubble pumping motion with$$St=0.02$$, and the very-low-frequency (VLF) motion originated in the very near wake of the body with the frequency$$St=0.002$$–$$0.005$$. The vortex shedding pattern is demonstrated to follow a reflectional symmetry breaking mode, whereas the vortex loops are shed alternatingly from each side of the vortex shedding plane, but are subsequently twisted and tangled, giving the resulting wake structure a helical spiraling pattern. The bubble pumping motion is confined to the recirculation region and is a result of a Görtler instability. The VLF motion is related to a stochastic destabilisation of a steady symmetric mode in the near wake and manifests itself as a slow, precessional motion of the wake barycentre. The VLF mode with$$St=0.005$$is also detectable in the intermediate wake and may be associated with a low-frequency radial flapping of the shear layer.
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Optimal waveform for fast synchronization of airfoil wakes
We obtain an optimal actuation waveform for fast synchronization of periodic airfoil wakes through the phase reduction approach. Using the phase reduction approach for periodic wake flows, the spatial sensitivity fields with respect to the phase of the vortex shedding are obtained. The phase sensitivity fields can uncover the synchronization properties in the presence of periodic actuation. This study seeks a periodic actuation waveform using phase-based analysis to minimize the time for synchronization to modify the wake shedding frequency of NACA0012 airfoil wakes. This fast synchronization waveform is obtained theoretically from the phase sensitivity function by casting an optimization problem. The obtained optimal actuation waveform becomes increasingly non-sinusoidal for higher angles of attack. Actuation based on the obtained waveform achieves rapid synchronization within as low as two vortex shedding cycles irrespective of the forcing frequency, whereas traditional sinusoidal actuation requires$${O}(10)$$shedding cycles. Further, we analyse the influence of actuation frequency on the vortex shedding and the aerodynamic coefficients using force-element analysis. The present analysis provides an efficient way to modify the vortex lock-on properties in a transient manner with applications to fluid–structure interactions and unsteady flow control.
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- Award ID(s):
- 2129639
- PAR ID:
- 10561178
- Publisher / Repository:
- Cambridge University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Fluid Mechanics
- Volume:
- 976
- ISSN:
- 0022-1120
- Subject(s) / Keyword(s):
- Low dimensional models wakes
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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