Numerical Investigation on Vortex-Induced Vibration Energy Extraction Efficiency of Double Circular Cylinders In Tandem Arrangement at Low Reynolds Number

School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, 100083, China

Abstract

Vortex shedding from a bluff body results in fluctuating forces acting on the bluff body, which may induce vibration of the bluff body when the bluff body is elastically mounted or deformable. Researchers put forward an idea that we can ex-tract energy from the water flow based on VIV at low flow velocity. Although plenty of researches on parameters of VIV are already presented, however, the improvement of energy extraction efficiency still needs further study. According to the previous research, this essay has simulated flow-induced vibration of tandem double circular cylinders when Reynolds number is 100. Working condition has been considered as the fixed upstream cylinder and the free vibration of the downstream cylinder. The influence of the mass coefficient and the two cylinders spacing ratio on the downstream cylinder’s energy obtained from the fluid is studied. Analysis results show that, the maximum value of the energy extraction efficiency is before the frequency locked range. In the case of large spacing ratio (L/D=7~9), the phenomenon of "beat vibration" appears on the downstream cylinder. The results of this work could provide reference for the improvement of energy extraction efficiency and the design of VIV converter.