Flow Characteristics and Power Extraction from Bluff Bodies in Vortex-induced Vibration

Abstract

Vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of rigidly coupled circular and elliptical cylinders is numerically investigated using the finite-volume solver OpenFOAM to understand fluid–structure interaction mechanisms and assess their potential for hydrokinetic energy harvesting. The study focuses on tandem and staggered cylinder arrangements undergoing transverse oscillation at low Reynolds numbers and examines the effects of spacing, geometry, and structural parameters on vibration response, wake dynamics, synchronization, and power extraction.