Effects of intrinsic three-dimensionality on the drag characteristics of a normal flat plate

Abstract

A three-dimensional direct numerical simulation of the wake of a flat plate held normal to a free stream has been conducted for a Reynolds number of 1000, using a high-order finite-difference scheme. The calculated flow structures and the coefficient of drag are shown to be markedly different from those obtained from an equally resolved two-dimensional simulation. The three-dimensional simulation is able to account for the intrinsic three-dimensionality that develops beyond a certain critical Reynolds number (∼200). The time-averaged drag predicted by the three-dimensional simulation is in good agreement with the experimental data, and also captures a low-frequency time variation that is seen in the experiments.