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Vortex shedding from spheres

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 March 2006

Elmar Achenbach
Elmar Achenbach
Affiliation:
Institut für Reaktorbauelemente der Kernforschungsanlage Jülich GmbH, Jülich, Germany
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Abstract

Vortex shedding from spheres has been studied in the Reynolds number range 400 < Re < 5 × 106. At low Reynolds numbers, i.e. up to Re = 3 × 103, the values of the Strouhal number as a function of Reynolds number measured by Möller (1938) have been confirmed using water flow. The lower critical Reynolds number, first reported by Cometta (1957), was found to be Re = 6 × 103. Here a discontinuity in the relationship between the Strouhal and Reynolds numbers is obvious. From Re = 6 × 103 to Re = 3 × 105 strong periodic fluctuations in the wake flow were observed. Beyond the upper critical Reynolds number (Re = 3.7 × 105) periodic vortex shedding could not be detected by the present measurement techniques.

The hot-wire measurements indicate that the signals recorded simultaneously at different positions on the 75° circle (normal to the flow) show a phase shift. Thus it appears that the vortex separation point rotates around the sphere. An attempt is made to interpret this experimental evidence.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Fluid Mechanics , Volume 62 , Issue 2 , 23 January 1974, pp. 209 - 221
Copyright
© 1974 Cambridge University Press

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