LOW SPEED FLOW OVER CYLINDER

LAB REPORT

Submitted by

HARSHITH REDDY T D
213010001

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
BOMBAY

Under guidance of
Prof . J. C. Mandal
1
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

S No. Topic Page No.

1. List of Tables 3

2. 3
List of Figures

3. 4
List of symbols

4. 5
Objectives

5. 6
Introduction

6. 9
Apparatus

7. 10
Methodology

8. 11
Analysis and Data presentation

9. 15
Conclusions

References

2
1. List of Tables

Table 1: Comparison of drag coefficients at ‘3’ wake locations.

2. List of Figures

Fig 1: Flow over cylinder at different Re

Fig 2: Flow over cylinder at very high Re
Fig 3: Wind tunnel and Pitot tube arrangement
Fig 4: Comparison of experimental and theoretical pressure coefficients
Fig 5: Velocity profiles at different wake locations.
3. List of Symbols

Re : Reynolds number

θ : Angular location on cylinder surface

µ: Dynamic viscosity

Cp : Coefficient of pressure

Cd,total : Total drag coefficient

Cd,pressure : Pressure drag coefficient

Cd.skin friction /Cf : Skin friction drag coefficient

 4. OBJECTIVES

1. Measure the surface pressure distribution of the cylinder and compute its

pressure coefficient and compare its values with theoretical values.

2. Study of pressure distribution and locate the separation points on the cylinder.

3. To compare velocity profile in the wake behind the cylinder at three locations.

4. Calculate skin friction drag coefficient

 5. INTRODUCTION
A circular cylinder is one the most basic geometric shapes and the study of flow
around it is a classic problem in aerodynamics. Theoretical flow across the circular
cylinder gives no separation of flow. But in real life there are effects of viscosity
which tend to separate the flow at the rear end of the cylinder. Reynolds number
gives us the effect of viscous force as it is the ratio of inertia force by viscous force. In
the figures given below we increase the Reynolds number by increasing the flow
velocity.

Fig.1 Flow over cylinder at different Re

At a low Reynolds number the flow can be considered steady and there is symmetry
between upper and lower of the flow behind. As we increase the Reynolds number
flow tends to separate. This happens because the boundary layer travels far enough
against an adverse pressure gradient that the speed of the boundary layer with
respect to the object falls to almost zero. As we further increase the Reynolds number
flow sheds in the form of vortices at regular intervals from upper and lower of the
body. After detaching from the body, vortices tend to interact with each other. The
vortices will form a periodic shedding pattern in the downstream of the cylinder in
formation of a karman vortex sheet. Strouhal number gives the understanding of the
frequency of the vortex shedding from the body.
If the Reynolds number is very high, flow becomes chaotic and no longer produces
regular vortices as shown in Fig.2. The flow behind the cylinder is termed as wake
where the pressure is low and flow is turbulent unlike incoming flow which is steady
uniform flow.

Fig.2 Flow over cylinder at very high Re

As pressure is a dimensional quantity it would depend on many parameters. So it

is important to introduce a dimensionless pressure which would be helpful to
analyse. Such a quantity is the pressure coefficient Cp

This equation is used to calculate the experimental pressure coefficient from the
pressure data given.

Theoretical pressure coefficient is derived from the inviscid flow theory which is
given as

Pressure drag coefficient over the surface of the cylinder is given by

From the given velocities at various heights at a location behind the cylinder
calculation of total drag coefficient and pressure drag coefficient are given from
the relations below. Total drag coefficient is found from the velocities behind the
cylinder whereas pressure drag coefficient is found from the surface pressure
coefficient over the body. Skin friction coefficient is the difference in the total drag
coefficient and pressure drag coefficient.
 6. APPARATUS
1. Wind tunnel with air as Fluid

2. Circular cylinder of diameter 32.5mm with inbuilt pitot tube

3. Pitot static tube, Pitot tube and digital manometer

4. Horizontal and vertical scales to measure the distance

5. Protractor to measure the angle

Fig. 3 Wind tunnel and pitot tube arrangement

 7. METHODOLOGY

1. Velocity of the wind tunnel was set by adjusting the fan rotation speed.
2. Pressure was measured using the pitot-tube and the digital manometer.
3. Calibrate the pitot static tube based on the reading from the pitot tube.
4. Cylinder is rotated using protractor and surface pressure over all the angles of the
cylinder found.
5. From Bernoulli’s equation we find the velocities for given pressure values.
6. Velocity along y axis is found at ‘3’ wake location namely 5D,10D,15D where D is
the diameter of the cylinder.
7. Using the relation mentioned above we calculate the Total drag coefficient, pressure
drag coefficient and skin friction drag coefficient.
 8. ANALYSIS AND DATA PRESENTATION

8.1 Location of separation point

Data given -
1. Atmospheric Pressure (P) = 99810 Pa
2. Atmospheric Temperature (T) = 301 K
3. Free stream Velocity (V) = 15m/s
4. Cylinder Diameter (D) = 32.5mm

From ideal gas law: P = ρRT Density(ρ) = 1.207534 kg/m3

Reynold number Re =ρVD/µ = 31820.15 (i.e. sub critical)
Surface pressure coefficient over cylinder is calculated by

Theoretical pressure coefficient given by inviscid flow theory is calculated by

Fig.4 Comparison of experimental and theoretical pressure coefficients

 From the graph it is clear there is a difference in experimental and theoretical
values of pressure coefficient which can be attributed to the viscosity of the flow.

● In theoretical calculation of pressure coefficient, flow is assumed to be inviscid.

● Coefficient of pressure from experiment in the forward of cylinder is near to the

theoretical value as the viscous effect is small. But in the backside of cylinder as
viscous effects are more huge, difference in both values is significant.

● Coefficient of pressure after separation of flow from the body remains almost
constant as there is no attached flow on the surface to effect coefficient of
pressure.

● Separation of flow occurs at 81o and 273o on the cylinder as the coefficient of
pressure is constant over this region.

8.2 Calculation of skin friction

Pressure drag coefficient over the cylinder Cd,pressure is given by :

From the given data, Cd,pressure = 0.8741 on the surface.

Total drag coefficient (Cd,total) on the wake region is given by:

 ⮚ Vwake is the velocity of the flow behind the body in the region where the effect of the
body is not felt and away from the boundary layer of the wall.
⮚ V(y) is the velocity at the location of the y axis.
⮚ D is the diameter of the cylinder.

Measurements are made at 5D, 10D,15D locations behind the cylinder as the effect of
wake is predominant near the body.
Total drag is the summation of pressure drag and skin friction drag. From this relation
skin friction drag is given by

Drag coefficients at various location are tabulated below :

x/d Cd,total Cd,pressure Cd,friction

5 0.8777 0.8741 0.0036
10 0.9518 0.8741 0.0777
15 1.017 0.8741 0.1429

Table.1 - Comparison of drag coefficients at ‘3’ wake locations.

● From the above table it is clear that as we go far from the body the total drag coefficient
and friction drag are increasing.
8.3 Velocity profiles of wake

Fig.5 Velocity profiles at different wake location

● At 5D location changes in velocities are confined in 350mm to 250mm but as we move

far to 15D changes in velocities are observed from 400mm to 200mm
● Flow velocity at 300mm tend to increase as we move from 5D to 15D as the wake is
dissipating
● Area of the wake tends to increase as we move far from the body
 9. CONCLUSIONS

⮚ Pressure coefficient from experimental and theoretical are different due to viscous
effect
⮚ Separation of flow happen in experiment unlike attached flow in theory
⮚ Location of separation is observed at 81o and 273o on the surface of cylinder
⮚ Pressure drag coefficient over the body is 0.8741
⮚ Total drag coefficient increases from 0.8777 at 5D to 1.017 at 15D as we move away
from the body
⮚ Skin friction drag coefficient also increases from 0.0036 at 5D to 0.1429 at 15D as
we move away from the body
⮚ Region with Velocity gradient after body along y axis tend to increase as we move
away from the body
⮚ Velocity in the flow direction tend to increase as we move from 5D to 15D
 REFERENCES

1. John, D.A., “Fundamentals of Aerodynamics” , 5th edition, 1991.

2. Cameron tropea, Alexander L. Yarin., “Handbook of Experimental Fluid Mechanics”
3. Bertin J.J., “Aerodynamics for Engineers” , 4th edition, Prentice Hall