Correlation of pulsed flow vortex shedding

Flow visualization experiments were performed leading to the development of a correlation for the vortex shedding from indentations perpendicular to the main stream flow and caused by the addition of a pulsed flow component. The peak pulse flow rate required for vortex shedding greatly exceeds the condition for flow reversal in the channel when the steady flow rate is low while the vortex shedding occurs close to the flow reversal condition when the steady flow rate is very high. The empirical correlation should be useful in assessing the practicality of utilizing this technique to augment mass transport in membrane separation processes. Vortex shedding provides substantial transport augmentation in the ultrafiltration of a flowing plasma stream, and recommendations for further study are outlined to improve our understanding of this phenomena.