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Direct numerical simulation of the flow over a sphere at Re = 3700

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 May 2011

IVETTE RODRIGUEZ ,
RICARD BORELL ,
ORIOL LEHMKUHL ,
CARLOS D. PEREZ SEGARRA  and
ASSENSI OLIVA
IVETTE RODRIGUEZ
Affiliation:
Centre Tecnològic de Transferència de Calor (CTTC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08222Spain
RICARD BORELL
Affiliation:
Termo Fluids S.L., 08222Spain
ORIOL LEHMKUHL
Affiliation:
Centre Tecnològic de Transferència de Calor (CTTC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08222Spain Termo Fluids S.L., 08222Spain
CARLOS D. PEREZ SEGARRA
Affiliation:
Centre Tecnològic de Transferència de Calor (CTTC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08222Spain
ASSENSI OLIVA*
Affiliation:
Centre Tecnològic de Transferència de Calor (CTTC), Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC), 08222Spain
*
†Email address for correspondence: cttc@cttc.upc.edu
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Abstract

The direct numerical simulation of the flow over a sphere is performed. The computations are carried out in the sub-critical regime at Re = 3700 (based on the free-stream velocity and the sphere diameter). A parallel unstructured symmetry-preserving formulation is used for simulating the flow. At this Reynolds number, flow separates laminarly near the equator of the sphere and transition to turbulence occurs in the separated shear layer. The vortices formed are shed at a large-scale frequency, St = 0.215, and at random azimuthal locations in the shear layer, giving a helical-like appearance to the wake. The main features of the flow including the power spectra of a set of selected monitoring probes at different positions in the wake of the sphere are described and discussed in detail. In addition, a large number of turbulence statistics are computed and compared with previous experimental and numerical data at comparable Reynolds numbers. Particular attention is devoted to assessing the prediction of the mean flow parameters, such as wall-pressure distribution, skin friction, drag coefficient, among others, in order to provide reliable data for testing and developing statistical turbulence models. In addition to the presented results, the capability of the methodology used on unstructured grids for accurately solving flows in complex geometries is also pointed out.

JFM classification

Turbulent Flows: Turbulence simulation Vortex Flows: Vortex shedding Wakes/Jets: Wakes
Type
Papers
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 679 , 25 July 2011 , pp. 263 - 287
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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References

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Rodriguez et al. supplementary movie

Instantaneous vortical structures in the wake of the sphere, at Re=3700, represented by means of the Q-criterion. The flow separates from the sphere at 89.5°. The separated shear layer is laminar up to a certain distance where instabilities of the flow appear (x/D=1.0-1.2). The instabilities grow resulting in turbulent flow (x/D=1.8-2.0). Vortices are shed in random azimuthal positions at St=0.215. Even though the wake has a helical appearance, vortices move downstream without rotation.

Download Rodriguez et al. supplementary movie(Video)
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