Wind Tunnel: Flow Around Obstacles and Vortex Shedding

Theory

The air is simulated with the incompressible Navier–Stokes equations ($\nabla \cdot \vec{v}=0$). Behind blunt bodies vortices form (a von Kármán vortex street); the pressure difference creates drag and lift.

What to observe

• The smoke flows around the cylinder and forms a turbulent wake.
• The tilted plate deflects the flow (like a wing).

Try this

• Switch the view to Velocity or Pressure.
• Select the foam ball and untick “Fixed”.

Also available in: Túnel de vento: escoamento e esteira de vórtices (Português) · Túnel de viento: flujo y estela de vórtices (Español)