Numerical Simulation of Flow around Single and Two side-by-side Square Cylinders with Horizontal Offsets Mounted on the Seafloor

Abstract

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) have been applied to obtain essential hydrodynamic quantities and flow behaviors of single and two 2D wall-mounted square cylinders subjected to a uniform turbulent inflow. This is a simplified model for flow around sea bed roughness. Sea bed roughness alters the flow near the sea floor and creates unique wakes. An analysis to the flow phenomenon in this process is relevant for the safety and stability of pipelines, platform and etc.

Reynolds number based on the dimension of the square cylinder is $4000$ in this study. Numerical simulations of uniform flow around single wall-mounted square cylinder and two wall-mounted square cylinder with three intervals of $L=h$, $L=2h$ and $L=5h$ have been performed. The solutions of pressure distribution, velocity distribution and streamlines were discussed. Since no periodic flow phenomenon was observed during the simulations, the present study is considered to be steady-state.