The three-dimensional structure of the flow behind a heaving and pitching finite-span wing is investigated using dye flow visualization at a Reynolds number of 164. Phase-locked image sequences, which are obtained from two orthogonal views, are combined to create a set of composite images that give an overall sense of the three-dimensional structure of the flow. A model of the vortex system behind the wing is constructed from the image sequences. Variations of the Strouhal number, pitch amplitude and heave/pitch phase angle are qualitatively shown to affect the structure of the wake.

A visual study of the flow structures behind a heaving and pitching finite-span wing

Multi-fidelity deep neural network surrogate model for aerodynamic shape optimization

As a fundamental fluid-structure interaction (FSI) phenomenon, vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs) of circular cylinders have been the center of the FSI research in the past several decades. Apart from its scientific significance in rich physics, VIVs are paid great attentions by offshore engineers, as they are encountered in many ocean engineering applications. Recently, with the development of research and application, wake-induced vibration (WIV) for multiple cylinders and galloping for VIV suppression attachments are attracting a growing research interest. All these phenomena are connected with the flow-induced vibration (FIV). In this paper, we review and give some discussions on the FIV of offshore circular cylinders, including the research progress on the basic VIV mechanism of an isolated rigid or flexible cylinder, interference of multiple cylinders concerning WIV of multiple cylinders, practical VIV suppression and unwanted galloping for cylinder of attachments. Finally, we draw concluding remarks, give some comments and propose future research prospects, especially on the major challenges as well as potentials in the offline/online modelling and prediction of real-scale offshore structures with high-fidelity CFD methods, new experimental facilities and applications of artificial intelligence tools.

A review on flow-induced vibration of offshore circular cylinders

Wake stabilization mechanism of low-drag suppression devices for vortex-induced vibration

We present an effective reduced-order model (ROM) technique to couple an incompressible flow with a transversely vibrating bluff body in a state-space format. The ROM of the unsteady wake flow is based on the Navier–Stokes equations and is constructed by means of an eigensystem realization algorithm (ERA). We investigate the underlying mechanism of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of a circular cylinder at low Reynolds number via linear stability analysis. To understand the frequency lock-in mechanism and self-sustained VIV phenomenon, a systematic analysis is performed by examining the eigenvalue trajectories of the ERA-based ROM for a range of reduced oscillation frequency , while maintaining fixed values of the Reynolds number ( ) and mass ratio ( ). The effects of the Reynolds number , the mass ratio and the rounding of a square cylinder are examined to generalize the proposed ERA-based ROM for the VIV lock-in analysis. The considered cylinder configurations are a basic square with sharp corners, a circle and three intermediate rounded squares, which are created by varying a single rounding parameter. The results show that the two frequency lock-in regimes, the so-called resonance and flutter, only exist when certain conditions are satisfied, and the regimes have a strong dependence on the shape of the bluff body, the Reynolds number and the mass ratio. In addition, the frequency lock-in during VIV of a square cylinder is found to be dominated by the resonance regime, without any coupled-mode flutter at low Reynolds number. To further discern the influence of geometry on the VIV lock-in mechanism, we consider the smooth curve geometry of an ellipse and two sharp corner geometries of forward triangle and diamond-shaped bluff bodies. While the ellipse and diamond geometries exhibit the flutter and mixed resonance–flutter regimes, the forward triangle undergoes only the flutter-induced lock-in for at . In the case of the forward triangle configuration, the ERA-based ROM accurately predicts the low-frequency galloping instability. We observe a kink in the amplitude response associated with 1:3 synchronization, whereby the forward triangular body oscillates at a single dominant frequency but the lift force has a frequency component at three times the body oscillation frequency. Finally, we present a stability phase diagram to summarize the VIV lock-in regimes of the five smooth-curve- and sharp-corner-based bluff bodies. These findings attempt to generalize our understanding of the VIV lock-in mechanism for bluff bodies at low Reynolds number. The proposed ERA-based ROM is found to be accurate, efficient and easy to use for the linear stability analysis of VIV, and it can have a profound impact on the development of control strategies for nonlinear vortex shedding and VIV.

Model reduction and mechanism for the vortex-induced vibrations of bluff bodies

https://www.cfm.brown.edu/faculty/gk/PUBS/documents/Yu_JFS.pdf

Suppression of vortex-induced vibrations by fairings: A numerical study

We employ three-dimensional direct and large-eddy numerical simulations of the vibrations and flow past cylinders fitted with free-to-rotate U-shaped fairings placed in a cross-flow at Reynolds number . Such fairings are nearly neutrally buoyant devices fitted along the axis of long circular risers to suppress vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs). We consider three different geometric configurations: a homogeneous fairing, and two configurations (denoted A and AB) involving a gap between adjacent segments. For the latter two cases, we investigate the effect of the gap on the hydrodynamic force coefficients and the translational and rotational motions of the system. For all configurations, as the Reynolds number increases beyond 500, both the lift and drag coefficients decrease. Compared to a plain cylinder, a homogeneous fairing system (no gaps) can help reduce the drag force coefficient by 15 % for reduced velocity , while a type A gap system can reduce the drag force coefficient by almost 50 % for reduced velocity , and, correspondingly, the vibration response of the combined system, as well as the fairing rotation amplitude, are substantially reduced. For a homogeneous fairing, the cross-flow amplitude is reduced by about 80 %, whereas for fairings with a gap longer than half a cylinder diameter, VIVs are completely eliminated, resulting in additional reduction in the drag coefficient. We have related such VIV suppression or elimination to the features of the wake flow structure. We find that a gap causes the generation of strong streamwise vorticity in the gap region that interferes destructively with the vorticity generated by the fairings, hence disorganizing the formation of coherent spanwise cortical patterns. We provide visualization of the incoherent wake flow that leads to total elimination of the vibration and rotation of the fairing–cylinder system. Finally, we investigate the effect of the friction coefficient between cylinder and fairing. The effect overall is small, even when the friction coefficients of adjacent segments are different. In some cases the equilibrium positions of the fairings are rotated by a small angle on either side of the centreline, in a symmetry-breaking bifurcation, which depends strongly on Reynolds number.

U-shaped fairings suppress vortex-induced vibrations for cylinders in cross-flow

From active learning to deep reinforcement learning: Intelligent active flow control in suppressing vortex-induced vibration

We study the instability mechanisms leading to slug flow formation in an inclined pipe subject to gravity forces. We use a phase-field approach, where the Cahn–Hillard model is used to model the interface. At the inlet, a stratified flow is imposed with a specified velocity profile. We validate our numerical results by comparing against previous theoretical models and by predicting the various flow regimes for horizontal and inclined pipes, including stratified flow, slug flow, dispersed bubble flow and annular flow. Subsequently, we focus on slug formation in an inclined pipe and connect its appearance with specific vortical dynamics. A two-dimensional channel geometry is first considered. When the heavy fluid is injected as the top layer, inverted vortex shedding emerges, which periodically impacts on the bottom wall, as it develops further downstream. The accumulation of heavy fluid in the bottom wall causes a back flow that induces rolling waves and interacts with the upstream jet. When the heavy fluid is placed as the bottom layer, the heavy fluid accumulates and initially forms a massive slug at the bottom region, close to the inlet. Subsequently, the heavy fluid slug starts to break into smaller pieces, some of which translate along the pipe. During the accumulation phase, a back flow forms also generating rolling waves. Occasionally, a rolling wave can reach the top of the pipe and form a new slug. To describe the generation of vorticity from the two-phase interface and pipe walls in the slug formation, we study the circulation dynamics and connect it with the resulting two-phase flow patterns. Finally, we conduct three-dimensional (3-D) simulations in a circular pipe and compare the differences between the 3-D flow patterns and its circulation dynamics against the 2-D simulation results.

Fangfang Xie

Papers

Multi-fidelity deep neural network surrogate model for aerodynamic shape optimization

Suppression of vortex-induced vibrations by fairings: A numerical study

U-shaped fairings suppress vortex-induced vibrations for cylinders in cross-flow

From active learning to deep reinforcement learning: Intelligent active flow control in suppressing vortex-induced vibration

Direct numerical simulations of two-phase flow in an inclined pipe