A Numerical Study of the Forces on Two Tandem Cylinders Exerted by Internal Solitary Waves

Abstract EN

A three-dimensional numerical wave flume is employed to investigate the forces exerted by internal solitary waves (ISWs) on a pair of circular cylinders in tandem arrangement, using large-eddy simulation (LES) model.

The effect of the centre-to-centre distance (L) ranging from 1.5 to 5 diameters (D) is studied for various ISWs amplitudes ( η a ) in the two-layer fluid system.

Vertical-averaged vorticity distribution and vertical-averaged pressure gradient distribution in each layer are presented to investigate the different hydrodynamic interference between cylinders and the ISWs forces on each cylinder at various L.

Furthermore, the force behaviors of the two cylinders are also compared with that of an isolated cylinder in the same environment.

The interaction between the two piles occurs in both layers, and it is found that, for 1.5 ≤ L / D < 3.5 , strong mutual interference appears between two cylinders; for 3.5 ≤ L / D < 5 , the two cylinders continue to influence each other in a weak-interference state; for L / D ≥ 5 , the interaction gradually decreases into a noninteracting state.

This paper tries to provide some references to structural arrangement of double-cylinder structure and grouped-cylinder structure in stratified flow environment.