Data from: Transitions in the flow patterns and aerodynamic characteristics of the flow around staggered rows of cylinders

A two-dimensional numerical study of flow across rows of identical square
cylinders arranged in staggered fashion is carried out. This study will
unreveal complex flow physics depending upon the Reynolds number (Re) and
gap spacing (g) between the cylinders. The combined effect of Reynolds
number and gap spacing on the flow physics around staggered rows of
cylinders are numerically studied for 20 ≤ Re ≤ 140 and 1 ≤ g ≤ 6. We use
the lattice Boltzmann method for numerical computations. It is found that
with increase in gap spacing between the cylinders the critical Reynolds
number for the onset of vortex shedding also increases. We observed a
strong effect of Reynolds number at g = 2 and 4. Secondary cylinder
interaction frequency disappears for large Reynolds number at g = 6 and 5
and the flow around cylinders are fully dominated by the primary vortex
shedding frequency. This ensures that at large gap spacing with an
increase in the Reynolds number the wakes interaction between and behind
the cylinders is weaken. Furthermore, it also ensures that the wake
interaction behind the cylinders is strongly influenced by the jets in the
gap spacing between the cylinders. We also found that g = 2 is the
critical gap spacing for flow across rows of staggered square cylinders
for the considered range of Reynolds number. Depending on the Reynolds
number we observed; synchronous, quasi-periodic-I, quasi-periodic-II, and
chaotic flow patterns. In synchronous flow pattern, an in-phase and
anti-phase characteristics of consecutive cylinders has been observed. The
important physical parameters are also analyzed and discussed in detail.