AM2540 lab report:

Topic:
Visualization of potential flows
Experiment 1: Study of potential flows around a cylinder.
Experiment 2: Study of Vortex Shedding around a cylinder.

Submitted by Group 15
ME14B064: Sourav Debnath
ME14B065: K. S. Sourya Varenya
ME14B066: Srikanth Gummadavalli
ME14B067: Surya Varun

EXPERIMENT 1: STUDY OF POTENTIAL FLOWS AROUND A

CYLINDER.
Aim:
The objective of the experiment is to study potential flows around a cylinder.
Qualitative stream line pattern is to be recorded for the cylinder and
compare it with theoretical model.
Theory:
1. Stream function: the difference between the stream function values at
any two points gives the volumetric flow rate (or volumetric flux)
through a line connecting the two points.
For defining the stream function, the flow velocity components will
have to be:

=
and
=

For a streamline, the value of this stream function is constant

throughout.
2. The potential flow solution for the stream function for flow past a
circular cylinder centred at origin in r - coordinates is
2
= r sin() (1 2 )

3. Uniform upstream velocity is calculated by:

=

4. For calculating the difference in stream function between two

consecutive streamlines at the upstream uniform velocity region, the
following approximation can be done:
=

Between any two streamlines, will be constant. We will measure the

between two consecutive streamlines and compare with theoretical model

Experimental setup:
The experimental setup consists of two sections of a tank, between
which the flow is regulated. At the outlet of the pump, a flowmeter
is installed to regulate the inlet flow. Two glass sheets are placed on
top of the tank surface to create the test sectio n. The separation
between the two glass-sheets is approximately 2 mm. Water is made
to flow between the two sections of the tank, through the test
section. Liquid dye is contained in a separate reservoir and is
injected between the glass sheets through a needle. The dye is used
to visualize the flow.

Procedure:
1. Fill the reservoirs with water.
2. Insert the specimen in the gap between the glass sheets after
noting its dimensions.
3. Fill the Dye reservoir at the side with the Dye.
4. Adjust the stop cock for the desired low flow rate to avoid
unsteadiness.
5. Illuminate from behind using diffuse light and take a
photograph, including the specimen and the upstream region
where the stream lines are parallel in the photograph.
6. Measure the flow rate.
7. Repeat the procedure for other specimens, drain the water &
dye solution after the experiment

Observations and Conclusions:

Photoshop has been used to bring contrast in the actual image since
changing the threshold in the Matlab wouldnt eliminate the shadows.

Greyscale image of streamlines only filtering the yellow and red colour.

Jet map applied to Binary Stream of the picture.

Then the data has been analysed at = 90 o

1. Qualitative analysis for circular cylinder:

Q = 1000 L/hour
= 2.78 10-4 m3/sec
Width (w) = 600mm
Depth (d) = 2mm
Diameter (cylinder) = 6.24 cm

= 0.2317 /
2. Image analysis:

19
124

= 0.1532 /
Here we have 5 streamlines and hence we can measure 4 values as difference
between for different streamlines.

d = 59.44mm

(mm)

(x10-3)

17.17
14.40
19.77
18.23

3.96
3.32
4.56
4.21

From the equation

= r sin() (1

(mm)

(x10-3)

17.17
14.40
19.77
18.23

5.32
3.98
5.14
4.56

2
2

Result:
The plot obtained from the theoretical model
2
= r sin() (1 2 )

Is as follows:

The upstream velocity is = 0.2317 /

Comparing the from experiment and theoretical model,
.
1-2
2-3
3-4
4-5

(x10-3)

(x10-3)

5.32
3.98
5.14
4.56

3.96
3.32
4.56
4.21

EXPERIMENT 2: STUDY OF VORTEX SHEDDING AROUND A

CYLINDER.
Aim:
To study the dependence of non- dimensional vortex shedding frequency on
the Reynolds number for cylindrical bodies of different diameters.
When, 900 < Re < 1.3 105
Apparatus Used:
1. A tank 2.5m 1.5m having depth of 150mm.
2. At one end we have two sets of Aluminum disks which are connected
to a motor.
3. Those are rotating in opposite directions with same speed horizontally
and creating a flow.
4. The flow is guided to the test section where cylinders of different
diameters can be placed.
5. The flow rate is adjusted by controlling the speed of motor.
6. With this apparatus we can produce 0.01 m/s to 0.2 m/s flow speed.
7. Water (made black in color by dissolving a dye), is used as the fluid
and Aluminum powder (which is in white color) is used as the tracer.
Theory:
1. the flow of fluid may be complicated as its Reynolds number go on
increasing
2. At low Re (< 1) there will be symmetry in the flow of fluid around the
body.
3. Vortex: In fluid dynamics, a vortex is a region, in a fluid medium, in
which the flow is mostly rotating on an axis line, the vortical flow that
occurs either on a straight-axis or a curved-axis.
The vorticity (the curl of the flow velocity) is very high in a core region
surrounding the axis, and nearly nil in the greater vortex; and the
pressure drops with proximity to the axis of the vortex.
4. Karman Vortex Street:
It is a repeating pattern of swirling vortices caused by the unsteady
separation of flow of a fluid around blunt bodies.
5. When Re >80, the successive vortices will be produced around the
body which have opposite sense of circulation.

6. The circulation around the cylinder changes sign periodically resulting

in an oscillating lateral force on the cylinder. (as shown in fig.)

7. Strouhal number:
The frequency of the vortex shedding known as the Strouhal number
(non-dimensional number).
S = f / (U/D),
f = frequency of vortex shedding.
D = diameter of the cylinder.
U= free stream velocity of the fluid.
The Strouhal number for a cylinder is typically 0.2 over a wide range
of flow velocities. It depends on the body shape and on the Reynolds
number.
The objective of the experiment is to explore the dependence of this
non- dimensional vortex shedding frequency on the Reynolds number
for 900 < Re < 1.3 105.
8. Resonance:
In practical life, if the frequency of this vortex shedding is close to the
natural frequency of the object, resonance could occur, resulting in
structural damage to object.
The Strouhal number relates the frequency of shedding to the velocity
of the flow and a characteristic dimension of the body (diameter in the
case of a cylinder). The phenomenon of lock-in happens when the
vortex shedding frequency, n, becomes close to a natural frequency of
vibration of the structure. When this happens large and damaging
vibrations can result

Procedure:
1. Switch on the motor and using the knob increase the speed of rotation
of disks till a particular speed is reached.
2. Mark a certain distance on the wooden planks, to calculate the speed
of flow (U).
3. For a particle which is in the center of flow observe the timing to cross
that distance.
4. Repeat this observation three times to calculate the speed of flow.
5. Now place the cylinder one in the center of the flow.
6. Count the number of proper vortices generated in 10seconds of time
at the back of cylinder (or) Count the number of vortices crossing the
scale. Repeat this three times. (As shown in fig.)

7. Now put cylinder two at the center, count the vortices just like the
above one.
8. Repeat the same for cylinder three.
9. Analyze the same with two another speeds of disks. Tabulate the data

Observations:
I.
Distance(m)
Time
(s)
Speed
(m/s)

First time
0.86
10.68
0.081

Second time
0.86
11.81
0.073

Third time
0.86
11.81
0.073

Average(U)
0.076

Re = 73416

First
time
No
of 8
vortices
for D=
2cm
No
of 5
vortices
for D=
3.5cm
No
of 3
vortices
for D=
5cm

Second
time
7

Third
time
6

Average
7

Frequency St=f/(U/D)
(f)
0.7
0.1842

0.5

0.2303

0.3

0.1974

II.
Distance(m)
Time
(s)
Speed
(m/s)
Re = 83076

First time
0.86
10.34
0.083

Second time
0.86
9.26
0.093

Third time
0.86
10.39
0.083

Average(U)
0.086

First
time
No
of 8
vortices
for D=
2cm
No
of 6
vortices
for D=
3.5cm
No
of 5
vortices
for D=
5cm

Second
time
8

Third
time
7

Average
7.67

Frequency
St=f/(U/D)
(f)
0.767
0.1784

5.33

0.533

0.2170

4.33

0.433

0.2517

Second time
0.86
5.35
0.161

Third time
0.86
5.13
0.168

III.
Distance(m)
Time
(s)
Speed
(m/s)

First time
0.86
5.42
0.159

Average(U)
0.163

Re = 157458
First
time
No
of 12
vortices
for D=
2cm
No
of 9
vortices
for D=
3.5cm
No
of 7
vortices
for D=
5cm

Second Third
time
time
11
11

Average(f) Frequency St=f/(U/D)

(f)
11.33
1.133
0.1390

8.67

0.867

0.1862

6.33

0.633

0.1942

Precautions:
1. Make sure that the two disks rotate with same speed, sometimes the
cable gets loose.
2. With non-wet hands, slowly increase the speed of disks.
3. Dont count the eddy vortices.
4. To calculate the free stream velocity of the fluid (U), make sure you
will observe the centered particle of the fluid flow.
5. Place the cylinders exactly in the center of fluid flow.
6. Make sure two at least three persons will be sharing the work. (One to
count the vortices, one on the clock and another to note down the
values.)

Sources of error:
1. Error in observing time
2. Error in distance taken to measure the speed of flow.
3. Error in counting number of vortices

Applications:

1. In designing the back shape of car.

2. In designing structures: In low turbulence, tall buildings can produce

a Krmn street so long as the structure is uniform along its height. In
urban areas where there are many other tall structures nearby, the
turbulence produced by these prevents the formation of coherent
vortices.
Periodic crosswind forces set up by vortices along object's sides can
be highly undesirable, and hence it is important for engineers to
account for the possible effects of vortex shedding when designing a
wide range of structures, from submarine periscopes to industrial
chimneys and skyscrapers.
3. In designing the structure of chimney.

Result:

2. Finding St. No. using Empirical relation:

St= f (Re) = 0.198 (3.9/Re) ;

valid over 250 < Re < 2x105

Re

St(2 cm)

St(3.5 cm)

St(5 cm)

St (average) Theoretical

73416

0.1842

0.2303

0.1974

0.2040

0.19794

83076

0.1784

0.217

0.2517

0.2157

0.19795

0.1862

0.1942

0.1731

0.19797

157458 0.139

Plot of Re vs Strouhals no. (St)

0.3
St(2 cm)
St(3.5 cm)
St(5 cm)
Theoretical
0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
73,416 81,086 88,756 96,426 104,097 111,766 119,436 127,106 134,777 142,447 150,116