Numerical studies of the flow around a circular cylinder by a finite element method
Abstract
Numerical solutions of the steady, incompressible, viscous flow past a circular cylinder are presented for Reynolds numbers R ranging from 1 to 100. The governing Navier-Stokes equations in the form of a single fourth-order differential equation for stream function and the boundary conditions are replaced by an equivalent variational principle. The numerical method is based on a finite element approximation of this principle. The resulting nonlinear system is solved by the Newton-Raphson process. The pressure field is obtained from a finite element solution of the Poisson equation once the stream function is known. The results are compared with those determined by other numerical techniques and experiments. In particular, the discussion is concerned with the development of the closed wake with Reynolds number, and the tendency toward instability.
- Publication:
-
Computers and Fluids
- Pub Date:
- December 1978
- Bibcode:
- 1978CF......6..219T
- Keywords:
-
- Boundary Layer Flow;
- Circular Cylinders;
- Finite Element Method;
- Flow Distribution;
- Incompressible Flow;
- Viscous Flow;
- Boundary Conditions;
- Drag;
- Finite Difference Theory;
- Flow Stability;
- Navier-Stokes Equation;
- Newton-Raphson Method;
- Poisson Equation;
- Pressure Distribution;
- Reynolds Number;
- Steady Flow;
- Stream Functions (Fluids);
- Wakes;
- Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer