Numerical Simulation of Three Equispaced Circular Cylinders
Zhang Aishe Zhang Ling
(Environmental Science and Engineering Center, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an, 710049)

Abstract: In this paper, the flow interference among three circular cylinders with different equilateral-triangular arrangements is calculated by the finite element method (FEM). The lift and drag coefficient, and St number a re resolved at different spacing ratios. The results show that the interference is serious when the cylinders are closely. When the spacing ratio is smaller than a certain value, the gap flow is biased to one side of certain downstream cylinders. Some areas of the cylinder surface may be suffered very strong negative pressure in downstream. The calculation results are compared with other experimental data, and the agreement can be satisfied.
Keywords: flow around circular cylinders, FEM, numerical simulation, lift force, drag force.