Numerical Investigation of Two-Dimensional Flow past a Normal Flat Plate

Aerodynamic flow characteristics around a normal flat plate have been considered at Reynolds numbers (Re) of 100 and 150 in terms of transient runs. This study presents pressure values, streamwise and cross-stream velocity components, velocity magnitude values with streamlines, vorticity magnitude values and drag coefficients as numerical results. The highest pressure has been attained owing to the stagnated flow for upstream region. Pressure drop around the normal flat plate is due to the separated flow. However, the wake region caused a more significant pressure drop. The primary recirculation zone shrank from Re = 100 to Re = 150. On the other hand, the secondary one became larger. In the wake region of the normal flat plate, periodical distributions of cross-stream velocity components have been provided. As a result of the increasing Reynolds number, elongated shear layers have been obtained owing to vortex shedding observed for the downstream region. Unsteady vortex structures extended to the outlet region of the flow domain. Nevertheless, the peak vorticity value decayed through the downstream due to higher viscous diffusion at lower Reynolds number. Drag coefficients have been obtained as CD = 2.42 and CD = 2.51 at Re = 100 and Re = 150, respectively. These values are in good agreement with those presented in the previous studies for the similar Reynolds number values.