Experimental investigations on separation control and flow structure around a circular cylinder with synthetic jet

Circular cylinder separation control and flow structure influenced by the synthetic jet have been experimentally investigated in a water channel. The synthetic jet issues from a slot and ejects toward upstream from the front stagnation point of the cylinder. It has been found that, similar to the traditional synthetic jet which is positioned near the separation point or inside the separation region, the present synthetic jet arrangement constitutes an efficient way to control flow separation of the circular cylinder, but with a different control mechanism. The present synthetic jet leads to an upstream displacement of the front stagnation point and the formation of a vortex pair near both sides of the exit orifice. When Re _u based on the synthetic jet average exit orifice velocity is about lower than 43, a closed envelope forms in front of the windward side of the cylinder during the blowing cycle of synthetic jet, which acts as an apparent modification for the cylinder configuration. When Re _u is high enough, an open envelope forms upstream of the cylinder, and the flow around the cylinder becomes much energetic. Thus, regardless of Re _u, the present synthetic jet can improve separation for flow around a circular cylinder. With regard to the leeward side, as Re _u increases, the flow separation region behind the cylinder gradually disappears. The flow over cylinder may be fully attached when the open envelope forms upstream of the cylinder and Re _u is greater than 344. Then, the flow past the cylinder will converge near the back stagnation point of the cylinder, where a new vortex pair shedding periodically is generated due to the high shear layer. Recommended by Prof. DONG ZengNan, Member of Editorial Committee of Science in China, Series E: Technological Sciences Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 10425207)