A review of rotating cylinder wake transitions

Recent work on the flow past a rotating cylinder is reviewed and further investigated at low Reynolds numbers. The various two- and three-dimensional transitions that occur as the rotation rate is increased are detailed. Two steady states, steady state I and steady state II, are identified based on the physical characteristics of the wake and the drag force on the body. Steady state I occurs at lower rotation rates, while state steady state II occurs at higher rotation rates. Linear stability analysis shows that two three-dimensional modes become unstable on steady state I and steady state II. Floquet stability analysis of the unsteady base flows that occur at very low rotation rates shows the presence of five three-dimensional modes. The curves of marginal stability are presented, followed by a comparison of numerical simulations to their experimentally obtained counterparts. Furthermore, the spatio-temporal characteristics of each mode and the likely underlying physical mechanisms are briefly discussed.