Title: Comparative study of flow past a square cylinder using three viscous schemes for vortex method in laminar conditions

Authors: Golnesa Karimi-Zindashti; Özgür Kurç

Addresses: Department of Civil Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey ' Department of Civil Engineering, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey; METU Center for Wind Energy, Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

Abstract: Numerical simulations of two-dimensional flow passing a stationary square cylinder for moderate Reynolds numbers (Re = 200, 500, 1,000) are performed using a mesh-free method, the discrete vortex method (DVM). To simulate the vorticity gradient, three diffusion schemes, random walk, particle strength exchange, and vorticity redistribution methods, are utilised. The results are compared against each other and previous numerical and experimental studies. These results are presented in terms of RMS lift and mean drag coefficients, Strouhal number, and base pressure coefficient. Also presented are the wake characteristics, as well as the mean and fluctuations of pressure distribution around the body surface. All cases are in reasonable agreement with the literature, although the simulations with the vorticity redistribution method tend to underestimate these parameters. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first comprehensive comparison carried out of the DVM-based diffusion schemes.

Keywords: discrete vortex method; DVM; diffusion; square cylinders; unsteady flow; incompressible flow; two-dimensional flow; computational fluid dynamics; CFD; mesh-free methods.

DOI: 10.1504/PCFD.2025.148784

Progress in Computational Fluid Dynamics, An International Journal, 2025 Vol.25 No.5, pp.253 - 270

Received: 03 Mar 2024
Accepted: 09 Sep 2024
Published online: 24 Sep 2025 *

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