Turbulent flow behind a bluff body

A numerical investigation of the fluid mechanics in a turbulent bluff body stabilized flow field is performed. A fourth order accurate finite difference method is used to solve the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in three dimensional cylindrical coordinates. The dynamic Large Eddy Simulation technique of Germano is utilized for the simulation. The flow is seen to be highly three dimensional and no symmetries can be detected. The instantaneous stagnation points are found to fluctuate around the average locations found in the experiments. The experimental and computational profiles for the average axial and cross flow velocity components are also in good agreement. The turbulence displays a rich variety of structures and scales.