Flow Past a Cylinder
Application ID: 97
The following model examines unsteady, incompressible flow past a long cylinder placed in a channel at right angle to the oncoming fluid. The cylinder is offset somewhat from the center of the flow to make the steady-state symmetrical flow unstable.
The simulation time necessary for a periodic flow pattern to appear is difficult to predict. A key predictor is the Reynolds number, which is based on cylinder diameter. For low values—below 100—the flow is steady.
In this simulation the Reynolds number equals 100, which gives a developed Karman vortex street; but the flow is still not fully turbulent.
This model example illustrates applications of this type that would nominally be built using the following products:
however, additional products may be required to completely define and model it. Furthermore, this example may also be defined and modeled using components from the following product combinations:
The combination of COMSOL® products required to model your application depends on several factors and may include boundary conditions, material properties, physics interfaces, and part libraries. Particular functionality may be common to several products. To determine the right combination of products for your modeling needs, review the Specification Chart and make use of a free evaluation license. The COMSOL Sales and Support teams are available for answering any questions you may have regarding this.