Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc.

Engineering Degree Course

University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

UNIVERSITY OF MORATUWA, SRI LANKA

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

THERMODYNAMICS LABORATORY

B.Sc. ENGINEERING – SEMESTER 3

ME 2113 – FLUID DYNAMICS

Drag on a Circular Cylinder

Introduction
Flow around bodies is one of the main applications of fluid dynamics in practice. In such
applications, determination of forces acting on bodies and their characteristics are required to
obtain efficient aerodynamic and hydrodynamic designs. For examples, when designing
aircraft, ships, automobiles, buildings, dams, bridges or even a house, principles of fluid flow
have to be given an important place. A large number of investigations have dealt with various
aspects of the flow around circular cylinders because of the fundamental mechanisms that this
flow exhibits and its numerous industrial applications. Offshore structures, heat exchangers
tube arrays, chimneys and electrical conductors in transmission lines are also few examples.

Figure 1: An offshore oil-rig consisting of cylindrical structural elements

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

When a cylinder is placed in a fluid stream, the resultant flow field will have various flow
patterns depending on the flow velocity, cylinder diameter and the fluid type. Some of these
patterns around a smooth cylinder are shown in Figure 2. For convenience, the above three
parameters are often grouped together to form the non-dimensional parameter called the
Reynolds number (𝑅𝑒). For the case of flow around a cylinder, the 𝑅𝑒 is normally defined as

𝐷𝑒𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 × 𝐶𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟 𝑑𝑖𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑡𝑒𝑟 × 𝑈𝑝𝑠𝑡𝑟𝑒𝑚 𝑣𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝜌𝐷𝑉

𝑅𝑒 = =
𝐷𝑦𝑛𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑐 𝑣𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑜𝑠𝑖𝑡𝑦 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑓𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑 𝜇

At relatively small velocities (Low 𝑅𝑒) the flow is attached. At higher velocities (High 𝑅𝑒) the
flow separates from the cylinder surface to form a wake behind the body. It is interesting to
note that when 𝑅𝑒 is increased (upto 𝑅𝑒 < 105), the size of the wake also get increased and
when 𝑅𝑒 exceeds 2 x105, the size of the wake reduces. Note that, when drawing these flow
patterns, it has been assumed that the cylinder has an infinite length and placed transversely in
the fluid stream.

Figure 2: Patterns of flow around a circular cylinder at different Reynolds Numbers

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

Fluid Dynamic Forces on a Circular Cylinder

(i) Ideal Flow (ii) Subcritical Flow (iii) Supercritical Flow

Figure 3: Pressure distribution around a circular cylinder at different flow conditions

Fluid dynamic forces acting on a body is primarily due to normal stresses and tangential
stresses. Forces due to the pressure act normal to the body surface and frictional forces due to
fluid viscosity act tangential to the body surface. At a higher Re, the effects due to viscous
stresses become negligible and pressure forces dominate. Figure 3 illustrates the pressure
distribution a circular cylinder at three different cases: (i) Ideal Flow, (ii) Subcritical Flow 103
< Re < 2105, and (iii) Supercritical Flow Re > 2105.

The component of the resultant force in the direction of the relative velocity of the fluid with
respect to the body is known as the Drag Force FD (or Drag D) (see figure 4). The force
component perpendicular to the relative velocity is called the Lift Force FL (or Lift L).

Lift L

Drag D

Figure 4: Drag and lift

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

The total drag and lift forces are usually defined by:
1 1
𝐷 = 𝐶𝐷 𝜌𝑈02 𝐴 𝐿= 𝐶 𝜌𝑈 2 𝐴
2 2 𝐿 0
where, 𝐶𝐷 - Drag coefficient, 𝐶𝐿 - Lift coefficient,  - Fluid density, 𝑈0 - Fluid velocity, and
𝐴 - Projected area (i.e. the area of the body's projection on a plane perpendicular to the relative
direction of motion).

Values of 𝐶𝐷 and 𝐶𝐿 depend on the body shape, surface roughness and the flow velocity.
However, for high subcritical 𝑅𝑒 flows their variations are minimal and hence often assumed
to be constant for a given geometry. Figure 5 shows the variation of drag coefficient of smooth
and rough cylinders for varying Reynolds numbers.

Figure 4: Variation of drag coefficient of a circular cylinder with Reynolds number

This lab session is intended to provide a basic understanding of the flow patterns, pressure
variations and the drag force acting on a circular cylinder at sub critical conditions.

Experimental evaluation of drag and lift forces

Method 1: Based on the pressure distribution
At high 𝑅𝑒, the forces are determined by the pressure (i.e. Pressure Drag - 𝐷𝑝 and Lift - 𝐿𝑝 )
and could be obtained by integrating the pressure distribution over the body.
𝑃𝑠

𝑈0
𝑑𝑠

The pressure drag 𝐷𝑝 and Lift 𝐿𝑝 are given by (per unit length of the body):

𝐷𝑝 = ∮ 𝑃𝑠 cos 𝜃 𝑑𝑠 𝐿𝑝 = ∮ 𝑃𝑠 sin 𝜃 𝑑𝑠

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

In case of a cylinder (a symmetrical body) the lift will not be present for steady flow, and hence
𝐿𝑝 will be zero. The drag force can be calculated directly by evaluating the above integral using
experimental data.

Method 2: Based on the rate of change of momentum of the fluid

The drag force can be calculated indirectly using the force acting on the fluid. When a force is
applied on the cylinder by the fluid, an equal and opposite force will also be applied on the
fluid as well. This force will reduce the momentum of the fluid. Therefore, by calculating the
rate of change of momentum of the fluid, the force acting on the cylinder can be estimated.

Consider the control volume shown below:

𝐻0 , 𝑝0 𝐻
𝑛
𝐻 𝑉𝑖 ,
𝑝𝑖 = 𝐴𝑡𝑚𝑜𝑠𝑝ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑖𝑐

𝐷 (𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑙𝑢𝑖𝑑) 𝐷 (𝑜𝑛 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝐵𝑜𝑑𝑦)

𝐷 − 𝑝0 𝐴0 = ∫ 𝑚̇ 𝑈0 − ∫ 𝑚̇𝑖 𝑉𝑖

𝐷 = 𝑝0 𝐴0 + 𝜌 [∫ 𝑈𝑜2 𝑑𝐴0 − ∫ 𝑉𝑖2 𝑑𝐴𝑖 ]

𝑛
𝐻
𝐷 = 𝑝0 𝐻 + 𝜌 [𝐻𝑈02 − ∑ 𝑉𝑖2 ] , 𝑝𝑒𝑟 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑐𝑦𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑑𝑒𝑟
𝑛
𝑖=1

In the above expression, the outlet pressure is considered to be zero (gauge pressure of the
atmosphere) and the upstream pressure 𝑝0 is measured by the manometer in the apparatus. The
velocity distribution 𝑉𝑖 at the outlet is measured along sufficient number of points along the
mid-vertical line of the outlet and the upstream velocity 𝑈0 could be calculated using a suitable
streamline.

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

Procedure
i) Set the cylinder inside the wind tunnel. Attach the free end of the tube connected to the
cylinder opening to the manometer.
ii) Start the wind tunnel fan and read the upstream pressure
iii) Record the manometer readings when the cylinder is rotated from 00-3600 in 200 intervals.
iv) Measure the velocity of the flow at the centre of the wind tunnel exit. Also read the
velocities of 4 points above and 4 points below the centre.
v) Repeat the procedure for another upstream velocity.

Calculations
i) Rate of change of momentum method
a. For the first case, using a suitable streamline, find the upstream velocity.
b. Determine the drag force per unit length using the readings.
c. Determine the total drag force, Re and 𝐶𝐷 for this case.
ii) Pressure distribution method
a. Draw the pressure distribution obtained for the first case using any CAD software.
b. Determine the drag force and 𝐶𝐷 .
iii) Repeat the calculations for case 2.
iv) Plot the four 𝐶𝐷 values against the Reynolds number. Also, include the theoretical values
mentioned in Figure 4.

Discussion
Discuss the following topics ONLY.
i) Comment on the reasons for obtaining different values for 𝐶𝐷 ;
a. In the two different calculation methods.
b. For the two different velocities.
ii) Compare the values of 𝐶𝐷 for two different Re in an Re Vs. 𝐶𝐷 graph with Figure 4 and give
your comments on the obtained results.
iii) How do the findings of this experiment can be implemented on a large scale cylindrical
structure subjected to a fluid flow around it? (i.e. oil rig, water tower)
iv) How is the shape of modern day cars being designed to reduce the drag force acting on it?

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Department of Mechanical Engineering B.Sc. Engineering Degree Course
University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka ME2113 – Fluid Dynamics

OBSERVATION SHEET
(1) Pressure Variation

Rotation Angle Pressure (mm)

(Degrees) Case 1 Case 2
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
200
220
240
260
280
300
320
340
360

(2) Velocity Variation

Case 1 Case 2
Point Distance (cm) Velocity (m/s) Distance (cm) Velocity (m/s)
1
2
3
4
5 (centre)
6
7
8
9

Height of the wind tunnel =

Diameter of the cylinder =
Length of the cylinder =
Upstream pressure =
Inclination of the manometer to the vertical axis =
Atmospheric pressure =
Density of air = 1.16 kg/m3
Dynamic viscosity of air = 1.846 × 10-5 Pa.s
Density of the manometer liquid = 0.816 g/cm³

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