Unsteadiness of an axisymmetric separating-reattaching flow: Numerical investigation

The separated flow over a cylinder elongated by another cylinder of a smaller diameter is investigated numerically at the high subsonic regime using zonal detached eddy simulation (ZDES) and compared with the experimental data of Deprés, Reijasse, and Dussauge AIAA J. 42, 2541 (2004). First, it is shown that this axisymmetric step flow has much in common with the two-dimensional facing step flows as regards the shear layer instability process. Second, the statistical and spectral properties of the pressure fluctuations are scrutinized. Close to the step, the surface pressure signature is characterized by low frequencies f.Lr∕U∞=O(0.08) (where Lr and U∞ denote, respectively, the mean reattachment length and free-stream velocity) and an upstream velocity of 0.26U∞ while in the second half-part of the recirculation higher frequencies fluctuations at f.Lr∕U∞≈0.6 and a downstream convection velocity 0.6U∞ are the dominant features. The current calculation shows that the separated bubble dynamics depends on very complex interactions of large eddies formed in the upstream free shear layer with the wall in the reattachment region. These structures are shed with a nondimensional frequency of about 0.2. Besides, it has been observed that the secondary corner vortex experiences a cycle of growth and decay. The correspondence between the frequencies of this secondary corner vortex dynamics and the flapping motion (f.Lr∕U∞≈0.08) suggests that there should be different aspects of the same motion. These results show that there is an ordered structure in this axisymmetric separating/reattaching flow which is dominated by large scale coherent motion. This is confirmed by a two-point correlation analysis of the pressure signals showing that the flow is dominated by highly coherent antisymmetric modes at the flapping and vortex shedding frequencies whose signatures are evidenced in the spectrum of the computed buffet loads. Possible onsets of a large-scale self-sustained motion of the separated area are finally discussed and the existence of an absolute instability of the axisymmetric recirculation bubble originating from a region located near the middle of the recirculating zone is conjectured.