Numerical Investigation of Vortex Shedding from a 5:1 Rectangular Cylinder at Different Angles of Attack

Although flow around a 5:1 rectangular cylinder at small angles of attack (AoA) has been extensively studied, when the AoA becomes larger, the research is rare. Therefore, this study performs Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes simulations (URANS) using the k-ω SST turbulence model for unsteady flow around a two-dimensional 5:1 rectangular cylinder at different AoAs up to 45°. A strong dependence of the flow characteristics on AoA is observed through the analysis of the time-averaged lift coefficient, drag coefficient, and Strouhal number. The peak of lift and drag coefficient is observed to be correlated, respectively, to the leading- and trailing-edge vortex based on the analysis of the flow. The x′-directional length of the main recirculation bubble on the top side and the distance from the bubble center to the leading edge of the cylinder both reach the maximum when α = 15°. In addition, the standard deviation σx' of the time-averaged velocity U¯x' along the cylinder shows a trend of increasing at first and then decreasing, and that σy' also shows the same trend at α = 20°~45°; it fluctuates within a range of 0.05~0.2 at α = 0°~20°. Finally, two principal modes of vortex shedding are observed with α = 15° being their turning point, (i) “1 + 1” mode: in one vortex shedding period, two major vortices shed off from the top and bottom sides of the cylinder at α ≤ 15°; (ii) “2 + 2” mode, four vortices shed off from the top and bottom sides of the cylinder at α > 15° in one vortex shedding period.