Modes of vortex formation and transition to three-dimensionality in the wake of a freely vibrating cylinder

The present work is aimed to give some insight into the relation between vortex shedding modes and transition to three-dimensionality in the wake of a freely vibrating cylinder by establishing a numerical model and analyzing the relevant results of two- and three-dimensional simulations. The compressible flow past an elastically-mounted cylinder is solved by using the immersed boundary method (IB method). The cylinder is free to vibrate in the transverse direction with zero structure damping. The response of displacement amplitude is studied with the variation of reduced velocity. Whether P+S mode exists in three-dimensional flow and the occurrence of 2P mode is caused by flow transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional are problems of concern. Both 2P and P+S wake modes are observed in two- and three-dimensional simulations. The numerical results indicate that the flow transition from two-dimensional to three-dimensional is coupled with the cylinder vibration in the synchronization/lock-in regime. The wake formation given by three-dimensional simulations suggests that the P+S mode might exist in reality when the flow is reverted to two-dimensional by vortex induced vibration (VIV) at Re=300–350. When Reynolds number increases to 425, the wake formation undergoes transition to three-dimensionality and 2P mode is observed. The effect of mass ratio on the flow transition to three-dimensionality is studied. The relationship between wake modes and aerodynamic forces is discussed.