Flow past a circular cylinder

Name: Animesh Phatowali

Roll no: 17AE30005 Group: 6
Aim: To record and observe the pressure distribution along the cylinder and plot 𝑐𝑝 𝑣𝑠 𝜃 of the flow.
Theory:
We can write the flow past a cylinder as a sum of uniform stream flow and the doublet i.e.
Flow past a cylinder = uniform stream + doublet
Now we know that the velocity components are given by
𝑎2
𝑣𝜃 = 𝑢∞ (1 + ) sin 𝜃
𝑅2
𝑎2
𝑣𝑅 = 𝑢∞ (1 − ) cos 𝜃
𝑅2
for 𝑣𝑅,𝑠 = 0 ,
𝑣𝜃𝑠 = 2𝑢∞ sin 𝜃
Now using the Bernoulli’s equation, we get,
1 2 1 1 2
𝑝∞ + 𝜌𝑢∞ = 𝑝𝑠 + 𝜌𝑢𝑠2 = 𝑝𝑠 + 𝜌𝑢∞ 4 sin2 𝜃
2 2 2
1 2
⇒ 𝑝𝑠 − 𝑝∞ = 𝜌𝑢∞ (1 − 4 sin2 𝜃)
2
Now the pressure coefficient is given by
𝑝𝑠 − 𝑝∞
𝑐𝑝 =
1 2
2 𝜌𝑢∞
At stagnation point again using Bernoulli’s equation,
1 1 2
𝑝0 + 𝜌𝑢02 = 𝑝∞ + 𝜌𝑢∞
2 2
1 2
𝜌𝑢 = 𝑝∞ − 𝑝0 [∵ 𝑎𝑡 𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑔𝑛𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑝𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑡 𝑝𝑠 = 𝑝0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑢𝑠 = 𝑢0 = 0 ]
2 ∞
𝑝𝑠 − 𝑝∞
∴ 𝑐𝑝 = = 1 − 4 sin2 𝜃
𝑝∞ − 𝑝0

Apparatus required:
Blow down wind tunnel, manometer, circular cylinder [with a hole which is connected to manometer
with a tube, and 360 degree dial.
Procedure:
 Measure 𝑝0 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑝𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑙𝑐𝑢𝑙𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑜𝑓 𝑣∞
 Rotate the cylinder to measure the pressure variation at an interval of 10°
Table:

GROUP-1/2
Θ Ps Pr P∞
0 334 336 322
10 334 336 322
20 330 336 322
30 326 336 322
40 320 336 322
50 314 336 322
60 310 336 322
70 308 336 322
80 308 336 322
90 308 336 322
100 309 336 322
110 309 336 322
120 309 336 322
130 309 336 322
140 309 336 322
150 308 336 322
160 308 336 322
170 308 336 322
180 308 336 322
190 308 336 322
200 308 336 322
210 308 336 322
220 308 336 322
230 308 336 322
 240 308 336 322
250 309 336 322
260 309 336 322
270 308 336 322
280 308 336 322
290 307 336 322
300 308 336 322
310 312 336 322
320 318 336 322
330 324 336 322
340 330 336 322
350 334 336 322
360 334 336 322

Group – 3,4
Degree Pr(mm) Pinfinty(mm) Ps(mm)
0 358 328 356
10 358 328 354
20 358 328 346
30 358 328 336
40 358 328 332
50 358 328 302
60 358 328 290
70 358 328 288
80 358 328 290
90 358 328 292
100 358 328 292
110 358 328 292
120 358 328 292
130 358 328 292
140 358 328 290
 150 358 328 290
160 358 328 290
170 358 328 290
180 358 328 290
190 358 328 290
200 358 328 290
210 358 328 291
220 358 328 291
230 358 328 292
240 358 328 292
250 358 328 293
260 358 328 293
270 358 328 293
280 358 328 290
290 358 328 286
300 358 328 288
310 358 328 302
320 358 328 320
330 358 328 334
340 358 328 346
350 358 328 354
360 358 328 356

Group – 5,6
Θ Ps Pr P∞
0 381 382 334
10 379 382 334
20 365 382 334
30 340 382 334
40 312 382 334
50 295 382 334
60 274 382 334
70 266 382 334
80 268 382 334
90 270 382 334
100 274 382 334
110 272 382 334
120 272 382 334
130 272 382 334
140 272 382 334
150 270 382 334
160 270 382 334
170 270 382 334
180 270 382 334
190 270 382 334
200 270 382 334
210 270 382 334
220 270 382 334
230 270 382 334
240 272 382 334
250 272 382 334
260 272 382 334
270 270 382 334
280 268 382 334
290 266 382 334
300 270 382 334
310 290 382 334
320 320 382 334
330 344 382 334
340 366 382 334
350 378 382 334
360 380 382 334
Table 𝑐𝑝 𝑣𝑠 𝜃

Θ Cp(theo.) Cp(prac)
0 1 1
10 0.879385 0.957447
20 0.532089 0.659574
30 0 0.12766
40 -0.6527 -0.46809
50 -1.3473 -0.82979
60 -2 -1.2766
70 -2.53209 -1.44681
80 -2.87939 -1.40426
90 -3 -1.3617
100 -2.87939 -1.2766
110 -2.53209 -1.31915
120 -2 -1.31915
130 -1.3473 -1.31915
140 -0.6527 -1.31915
150 0 -1.3617
160 0.532089 -1.3617
170 0.879385 -1.3617
180 1 -1.3617
190 0.879385 -1.3617
200 0.532089 -1.3617
210 0 -1.3617
220 -0.6527 -1.3617
230 -1.3473 -1.3617
240 -2 -1.31915
250 -2.53209 -1.31915
260 -2.87939 -1.31915
270 -3 -1.3617
280 -2.87939 -1.40426
290 -2.53209 -1.44681
300 -2 -1.3617
310 -1.3473 -0.93617
320 -0.6527 -0.29787
330 -1.8E-15 0.212766
340 0.532089 0.680851
350 0.879385 0.93617
360 1 0.978723
Observation and calculations:

Chart Title
1.5
1
0.5
0
-0.5 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350 400
-1
-1.5
-2
-2.5
-3
-3.5

Cp(theo.) Cp(prac)

Results:

The pressure coefficient is a dimensionless number which describes the relative pressures throughout a
flow field in fluid dynamics. The experiment has shown that the flow over a cylinder can be classified as
a potential flow and the same has been verified by plotting a graph of Cp vs θ. Only for laminar flow the
values of Cp obtained match with those obtained theoretically.

In the experiment, as shown by the graph the pressure is lowest from 90 & 270 degrees and the velocity
at these points is maximum according to the equations. The velocity is also completely tangential at
these points. The graph being symmetrical about θ=180 proves that there is no lift generated.

Discussions:

1. How Cp will vary with Reynold’s number?

Ans. Cp have a little change in the change of Reynold’s number

2. Why Cp from experiment is different from potential flow theory?

Ans. In the region of 𝜃 = 90° − 270° the viscous force is dominant. So it suppress the pressure flow
and thus the Cp value doesn’t match with theoretical value.

3. What pressure you are measuring in your experiment?

Ans. We are measuring static pressure in the experiment