Numerical investigation of the origin of vortex asymmetry of flows over bodies at large angle of attack

The occurrence of the flow about a slender body of revolution placed at incidence to an incoming stream is numerically examined for angles of attack ranging from 20 to 80 degrees and a Reynolds number of 200,000 based on maximum body diameter. Over a certain range of Reynolds numbers, the trend of flowfields around slender bodies at incidence can be roughly divided into three main categories: (1) at alpha = 0-30 deg, the flow is steady and symmetric; (2) at alpha = 30-60 deg, the flow under normal conditions is usually asymmetric, but the level of the asymmetry depends on the amount of disturbances present on the tip of the body; and (3) at alpha 60-90 deg, the flow in the wake of the body acts in a fashion similar to that of the Karman vortex shedding behind a two-dimensional circular cylinder. For each of these categories the range of incidence may change by + or - 10 degrees, depending on the quality of flow, or body finish.