Abstract
Two-dimensional, incompressible fluid flow past a circular cylinder, having a variable diameter, is analyzed numerically at low Reynolds numbers (Re). The Reynolds number is based on the cylinder diameter and free-stream velocity. Numerical outcomes demonstrate that at low Reynolds number, the flow remains steady. Analysis of the flow evolution also shows that with enhancing Re beyond a certain critical value, the flow becomes unstable and undergoes a Hop bifurcation. The critical Reynolds number beyond which the flow becomes unsteady is determined for each configuration by an extrapolation procedure. A nonuniform variation of the critical Reynolds number (Re-c) with the diameter is observed. On the other hand, it is observed that elongating the diameter of the cylinder leads to increasing the critical Reynolds number. It was also noted that the variation of the diameter value has a signignificant influence on the different regimes criteria as well as on the vortex detachment. Besides, it is seen that the diameter variation may lead to the birth of vortices with different oscillating frequencies due to the increase of the cylinder diameter that modifies considerably the Strouhal number.