On the recirculating flow of three-dimensional asymmetric bluff bodies

Abstract

Abstract The paper investigates the role of geometrical asymmetric modifications of a rectangular flat-backed body on the properties of the recirculating flow at a Reynolds number $$Re=1.8\times 10^5$$ R e = 1.8 × 10 5 . The reference model has two reflectional symmetries denoted $$s_y$$ s y and $$s_z$$ s z in both spanwise directions. The flow is subjected to the static instability that leads to two mirrored wake states breaking the symmetry $$s_y$$ s y . Two families of geometrical variation of the fore-body and after-body are studied, each breaking one of the reflectional symmetries of the reference model. Geometrical modifications that preserve $$s_y$$ s y evidence possibilities of bistable dynamics suppression although the static instability persists. Geometrical modifications that do not preserve $$s_y$$ s y produces a large unbalance of both wake states in accordance to recent observations on real cars (Bonnavion et al. in J Wind Eng Ind Aerodyn 184:77–89, 2019). Results offer perspectives for potential drag reduction induced by appropriate coupling of bluff body geometry and wake state selection. Graphic abstract