Transition to turbulence in the separated shear layers of yawed circular cylinders

Spatial and temporal resolution of transition to turbulence inside the free-shear layers of two yawed circular cylinders is the subject of the present investigation. These physics were resolved using the large-eddy simulation (LES) methodology. An O-type grid was implemented such that the spatial scales of the LES computation fully resolved the energy range physics of the shear layers at Reynolds number ReD = 8000 based on the cylinder diameter. The two test cases modeled the cylinder span skewed at angles 45° and 60° from the horizontal axis. Observations revealed the same transition process as the normal cross-flow state. Soon after separation, Tollmien–Schlichting disturbances were predicted that evolved into Kelvin–Helmholtz (K–H) eddies before absorption by the large-scale Karman-type vortices. These eddies defaulted to a spanwise wavy pattern similar to a normal cross-flow due to their three-dimensional instability. No mixed modes were found between the K–H (Bloor) and Strouhal frequencies. The effect of yaw angle shortened the transition process. As a result, peak turbulence levels inside the wake formation zone approach the downstream cylinder periphery. In addition, the dimensionless frequencies of the K–H eddies lie above the normal cross-flow relationship as formulated by Bloor (1964). Disparity between the yawed and normal cross-flow states was further emphasized by the shear-layer transition characteristics. Although each property displayed the expected exponential growth during transition to turbulence, their dimensionless form was miss-aligned with those of the normal cross-flow case. Based on the present evidence, additional simulations (and/or experimental measurements) are necessary to form conclusive arguments regarding the expected behavior of the transition characteristics within the free-shear layers of yawed circular cylinders.