Three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of wake transitions of a circular cylinder

This paper presents three-dimensional (3D) direct numerical simulations (DNS) of flow past a circular cylinder over a range of Reynolds number up to 300. The gradual wake transition process from mode A∗ (i.e. mode A with large-scale vortex dislocations) to mode B is well captured over a range of Re from 230 to 260. The mode swapping process is investigated in detail with the aid of numerical flow visualization. It is found that the mode B structures in the transition process are developed based on the streamwise vortices of mode A or A∗ which destabilize the braid shear layer region. For each case within the transition range, the transient mode swapping process consists of dislocation and non-dislocation cycles. With the increase of Re, it becomes more difficult to trigger dislocations from the pure mode A structure and form a dislocation cycle, and each dislocation stage becomes shorter in duration, resulting in a continuous decrease in the probability of occurrence of mode A∗ and a continuous increase in the probability of occurrence of mode B. The occurrence of mode A∗ results in a relatively strong flow three-dimensionality. A critical condition is confirmed at approximately Re = 265-270, where the weakest flow three-dimensionality is observed, marking a transition from the disappearance of mode A∗ to the emergence of increasingly disordered mode B structures.