Flow characteristics and drag force of a square cylinder in crossflow modulated by a slot jet injected from upstream surface

• Flow and drag of a square cylinder were modulated by a front jet injected.
• Jet periodically swung left-and-right around upstream surface of square cylinder.
• Characteristic frequency of jet oscillation is dominated by the wake instability.
• Time-averaged velocity field represented four-way saddle and recirculation regions.
• Recirculation improved freestream impingement and then reduced drag on cylinder.

The flow characteristics and drag force of a square cylinder with a front jet injection were experimentally investigated in a wind tunnel. The evolution process of the characteristic flow patterns was recorded by the laser-assisted smoke flow visualization method. The time-averaged velocity fields measured by particle image velocimetry (PIV) were applied to analyze the velocity vectors, streamline patterns, vorticity contours, velocity distributions, and time histories of instantaneous velocities around the upstream region of the square cylinder. The drag force experienced by the square cylinder was obtained by measuring the surface pressures on the front and rear faces. The results show that the jet emitted from the upstream surface of the square cylinder periodically swings left-and-right in the experimental range of injection ratio ⩽0.9. In the time-averaged velocity field, the jet flow impinges the freestream at a four-way saddle and subsequently bifurcates into two streams; one stream goes toward the left edge of the upstream surface, while the other stream directs toward the right edge of the upstream surface. Two recirculation regions formed above the upstream surface of the square cylinder are enclosed by those two streams. The vorticity contours around the upstream surface of the square cylinder are characterized by two adjacent vorticity-concentrated areas of opposite signs. The time histories of the instantaneous velocities around the four-way saddle, jet exit, and shear layer of the swinging jet represent periodic oscillation. This characteristic oscillation frequency is dominated by the wake instability. The recirculation regions formed above the cylinder’s upstream surface prevent impingement from the freestream. Consequently, the surface pressure coefficients on the upstream surface of the square cylinder are reduced. This reduction in the surface pressure coefficient decreases the drag force acting on the square cylinder.