Numerical simulation of flow around a smooth circular cylinder at very high Reynolds numbers

High Reynolds number flows (Re = 1 × 106, 2 × 106 and 3.6 × 106, based on the free stream velocity and cylinder diameter) covering the supercritical to upper-transition flow regimes around a two-dimensional (2D) smooth circular cylinder, have been investigated numerically using 2D Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) equations with a standard high Reynolds number k − ɛ turbulence model. The objective of the present study is to evaluate whether the model is applicable for engineering design within these flow regimes. The results are compared with published experimental data and numerical results. Although the k − ɛ model is known to yield less accurate predictions of flows with strong anisotropic turbulence, satisfactory results for engineering design purposes are obtained for high Reynolds number flows around a smooth circular cylinder in the supercritical and upper-transition flow regimes, i.e. Re > 106. This is based on the comparison with published experimental data and numerical results.