The numerical simulation of fluid-structure interaction on a simple cluster in an axial flow

Abstract

A cylinder/cluster subjected to axial flow is the most fundamental and revealing problem in the general subject of fluid-structure interaction (FSI). In this paper, the FSI of a system in which a simple cluster consisting of four cylinders is subjected to an axial flow is studied numerically with an explicit partitioned scheme. The cylinders are modeled by Euler–Bernoulli beams and the flow is solved based on Navier–Stokes equations with LES turbulence model. The effect of the dimensionless flow velocity on the dynamics of the cylinders is investigated in detail. For small dimensionless flow velocity, the initial strong vibration of the cylinder is damped and the buckling instability may occur if the dimensionless velocity is large enough.