Wake velocity measurement

ME14B085- Writeup

ME14B084-Graph and tables

ME14B083-Readings

ME14B082-Readings

Aim of the experiment: To measure flow velocity in the in the wake region behind the circular
cylinder and plot the non-dimensional velocity distribution in a plane behind the cylinder.

Apparatus required: Wind tunnel, Prandtl manometer or (digital micro-manometer), Betz

manometer, circular cylinder, wall tap, Pitot probe.

Flow Separation: The presence of the fluid viscosity slows down the fluid particles very close to
the solid surface and forms a thin slow-moving fluid layer called the boundary layer. The flow
velocity is zero at the surface to satisfy the no-slip boundary condition. Inside the boundary
layer, flow momentum is quite low since it experiences a strong viscous flow resistance.
Therefore, the boundary layer flow is sensitive to the external pressure gradient (as the form of
a pressure force acting upon fluid particles). If the pressure decreases in the direction of the
flow, the pressure gradient is said to be favourable. In this case, the pressure force can assist
the fluid movement and there is no flow retardation. However, if the pressure is increasing in
the direction of the flow, an adverse pressure gradient condition, as it is called, exists. In
addition to the presence of a strong viscous force, the fluid particles now have to move against
the increasing pressure force. Therefore, the fluid particles could be stopped or reversed,
causing the neighboring particles to move away from the surface. This phenomenon is called
the boundary layer separation.

Wake: Consider a fluid particle within the boundary layer around the circular cylinder. From the
pressure distribution measured in the experiment, the pressure is a maximum at the stagnation
point and gradually decreases along the front half of the cylinder. The flow stays attached in
this favorable pressure region as expected. However, the pressure starts to increase in the rear
half of the cylinder and the fluid now experiences an adverse pressure gradient. Consequently,
the flow separates from the surface creating a highly turbulent region behind the cylinder
called the wake. The pressure inside the wake region remains low as the flow separates and a
net pressure force (pressure drag) is produced.
The flow velocity is also reduced behind the cylinder. In the wake region, the velocity is
expected to be minimal near about the central axis of the cylinder.
 Experimental facility: The cylinder and the Pitot probe are arranged in the wind tunnel.The
Pitot probe is traversed along the slot made on the tunnel wall behind the cylinder to get the
velocities in the cross-section at various locations ( y values).

Observations:

Table of velocity measurement:

y (in cm) Total pr. Head (Pa) Free stream static Flow velocity m/s y/d U/U
pressure head (Pa)

23.5 63 367.88 23.08 1.8 1.58

24 70 367.88 22.81 1.6 1.56
24.5 78 367.88 22.50 1.4 1.54
25 88 367.88 22.11 1.2 1.52
25.5 100 367.88 21.63 1 1.48
26 110 367.88 21.22 0.8 1.45
26.5 120 367.88 20.81 0.6 1.43
27 143 367.88 19.82 0.4 1.36
27.5 164 367.88 18.87 0.2 1.29
28 184 367.88 17.92 0 1.23
28.5 206 367.88 16.81 0.2 1.15
29 210 367.88 16.61 0.4 1.14
29.5 216 367.88 16.29 0.6 1.12
30 220 367.88 16.07 0.8 1.10
30.5 216 367.88 16.29 1 1.12
31 190 367.88 17.63 1.2 1.21
31.5 170 367.88 18.59 1.4 1.27
32 154 367.88 19.33 1.6 1.32
32.5 129 367.88 20.43 1.8 1.40
Inferences:

U/U
1.8
1.6
1.4
1.2
U/U

1
0.8
0.6 U/U
0.4
0.2
0
0 0.5 1 1.5 2

y/d

The deviations in behavior of velocity is probably due to error in marking the position of the
centre of the free stream( 28 cm is marked as centre here)

Otherwise its clearly visible that the velocity is lowest around the centre in the wake region and
it increases as we move away from the centre.

The pressure before the cylinder is observed to be higher because it corresponds to the
stagnation pressure equivalent to static + dynamic pressure of free stream fluid.

The adverse pressure gradient has caused the fluid separate the boundary layer and thus the
pressure change is translated into change in velocity.