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Culture Documents
Contents
Analysis
In meteorology
Engineering problems
Formula
History
See also
References
External links
Analysis
A vortex street will only form at a certain range of
flow velocities, specified by a range of Reynolds
numbers (Re), typically above a limiting Re value
of about 90. The (global) Reynolds number for a
flow is a measure of the ratio of inertial to viscous
forces in the flow of a fluid around a body or in a
channel, and may be defined as a nondimensional
parameter of the global speed of the whole fluid
flow:
between:
Interestingly, for an aerodynamic profile the reference length depends on the analysis. In fact, the profile chord is usually chosen as
the reference length also for aerodynamic coefficient for wing sections and thin profiles in which the primary target is to maximize
the lift coefficient or the lift/drag ratio (i.e. as usual in thin airfoil theory, one would employ the chord Reynolds as the flow speed
parameter for comparing different profiles). On the other hand, for fairings and struts the given parameter is usually the dimension of
internal structure to be streamlined (let us think for simplicity it is a beam with circular section), and the main target is to minimize
the drag coefficient or the drag/lift ratio. The main design parameter which becomes naturally also a reference length is therefore the
profile thickness (the profile dimension or area perpendicular to the flow direction), rather than the profile chord.
The range of Re values will vary with the size and shape of the body from which the eddies are being shed, as well as with the
kinematic viscosity of the fluid. Over a large Red range (47<Red<105 for circular cylinders; reference length is d: diameter of the
circular cylinder) eddies are shed continuously from each side of the circle boundary, forming rows of vortices in its wake. The
alternation leads to the core of a vortex in one row being opposite the point midway between two vortex cores in the other row
, giving
rise to the distinctive pattern shown in the picture. Ultimately, the energy of the vortices is consumed by viscosity as they move
further down stream, and the regular pattern disappears.
When a single vortex is shed, an asymmetrical flow pattern forms around the body and changes the pressure distribution. This means
that the alternate shedding of vortices can createperiodic lateral (sideways) forces on the body in question, causing it to vibrate. If the
vortex shedding frequency is similar to the natural frequency of a body or structure, it causes resonance. It is this forced vibration
that, at the correct frequency, causes suspended telephone or power lines to "sing" and the antenna on a car to vibrate more strongly at
certain speeds.
In meteorology
The flow of atmospheric air over obstacles such as islands or isolated mountains sometimes gives birth to von Kármán vortex streets.
When a cloud layer is present at the relevant altitude, the streets become visible. Such cloud layer vortex streets have been
photographed from satellites.[2]
Engineering problems
In low turbulence, tall buildings can produce a
Kármán 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.[3] Periodic crosswind forces set up by
vortices along object's sides can be highly
Play media undesirable, and hence it is important for engineers
Simulated vortex street around a to account for the possible effects of vortex shedding
no-slip cylindrical obstruction
when designing a wide range of structures, from
submarine periscopes to industrial chimneys and
skyscrapers.
Even more serious instability can be created in concretecooling towers, for example,
especially when built together in clusters. Vortex shedding caused the collapse of
three towers at Ferrybridge Power Station Cin 1965 during high winds.
The failure of the original Tacoma Narrows Bridge was originally attributed to
excessive vibration due to vortex shedding, but was actually caused by aeroelastic
flutter.
[4][5]
Kármán turbulence is also a problem for airplanes, especially at landing. Chimneys with strakes fitted to break
up vortices
Formula
This formula will generally hold true for the range 40 < Re
d < 150:
where:
History
Although named after Theodore von Kármán,[6][7] he acknowledged[8] that the vortex street had been studied earlier by Mallock[9]
and Bénard.[10]
See also
Eddy (fluid dynamics)
Kelvin–Helmholtz instability
Reynolds number
Vortex shedding
Vortex-induced vibration
Coandă effect
References
1. Theodore von Kármán,Aerodynamics. McGraw-Hill (1963): ISBN 978-0-07-067602-2. Dover (1994): ISBN 978-0-
486-43485-8.
2. "Rapid Response - LANCE - Terra/MODIS 2010/226 14:55 UTC" (http://rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/imagery/si
ngle.cgi?image=AtlanticOcean.A2010226.1455.1km.jpg)
. Rapidfire.sci.gsfc.nasa.gov. Retrieved 2013-12-20.
3. Irwin, Peter A. (September 2010). "Vortices and tall buildings: A recipe for resonance".Physics Today. American
Institute of Physics. 63 (9): 68–69. Bibcode:2010PhT....63i..68I (http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010PhT ....63i..68I).
doi:10.1063/1.3490510 (https://doi.org/10.1063%2F1.3490510). ISSN 0031-9228 (https://www.worldcat.org/issn/003
1-9228).
4. Wake turbulence (http://what-when-how.com/flight/wake-turbulence/)
5. AIRPORT OPENING CEREMONY POSTPONED (http://www.sainthelenaaccess.com/news/2016/04/27/airport-openi
ng-ceremony-postponed/)
6. T. von Kármán: Nachr. Ges. Wissenschaft. Göttingen Math. Phys. Klasse pp. 509–517 (1911) and pp. 547–556
(1912).
7. T. von Kármán: and H. Rubach, 1912:Phys. Z.", vol. 13, pp. 49–59.
8. T. Kármán, 1954. Aerodynamics: Selected Topics in the Light of Their Historical Development(Cornell University
Press, Ithaca), pp. 68–69.
9. A. Mallock, 1907: On the resistance of air
. Proc. Royal Soc., A79, pp. 262–265.
10. H. Bénard, 1908: Comptes Rendus de l'Académie des Sciences(Paris), vol. 147, pp. 839–842, 970–972.
External links
Encyclopedia of Mathematics article on von Karman vortex shedding
Kármán vortex street formula calculator
3D animation of the Vortex Flow Measuring Principle
Vortex streets and Strouhal instability
How Insects Fly (which can produce von Kármán vortices)
YouTube — Flow visualisation of the vortex shedding mechanism on circular cylinder using hydrogen bubbles
illuminated by a laser sheet in a water channel
Various Views of von Karman Vortices, NASA page
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