Finite-element analysis of transverse lift on circular cylinder in 2D channel flow

The control volume-based finite-element method was used to investigate the transverse lift on a circular cylinder in a two-dimensional (2D) channel how. The study was organized in two consecutive steps: (1) Flow past a stationary cylinder; and (2) flow past a freely translating and rotating cylinder The ratio of the diameter of the cylinder-to-height of the channel was 0.1. The effects contributing to the lift from the fluid inertia, the rotation of the cylinder, and the proximity of the cylinder to the wall of the channel were explored. The results showed that with a stationary cylinder model, the lift was positive everywhere across the channel and pushed the cylinder toward the center of the channel; however, with a freely translating cylinder model, the lift was positive when y(0)/H was less than or similar to 0.15 and negative when y(0)/H was >0.15. Fluid inertia changed the magnitude of the lift. Rotation of the cylinder increased the lift: on a nontranslating cylinder and decreased the lift on a freely translating cylinder. To explain the lift distribution, a particle influence region hypothesis was developed. The results provided an explanation for the inhomogeneous distribution of solid particles across a pipe or channel flow.