Numerical simulation and flow visualization using soap film of the self-organized vortex structure in the wake of an array of cylinders

With the aid of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and simple flow visualization technique using flowing soap-film, we present here the wake structures behind an array of cylinders for Reynolds numbers corresponding to both laminar and turbulent flow regimes. The image results illustrate interesting vortex interactions past these equally spaced cylinders; for low Reynolds number flow, well-organized wake pattern persists and manifests unsteadily to different symmetry states. An increase of free stream flow velocity causes the wake transition, resulting in the formation of asymmetric flow wake with chaotic mixing at the far wake. Observations from both the numerical simulations and soap-film are in good agreement at least qualitatively