The compressible flow past a tabbed cylinder has been studied numerically using large-eddy simulation for a free-stream Mach number M∞=0.75 and a Reynolds number based on the diameter Re=2×105. Because of the passive control of the flow past a tabbed cylinder, the mean drag coefficient of tabbed cylinder is less than that of a corresponding circular cylinder with a drag reduction up to 33%. The fluctuating lift coefficient is greatly suppressed to be nearly zero. Drag reduction due to the shearing process prevails over that due to the compressing process in this flow. Through investigating the mechanisms relevant to passive control of the tab, it is found that suppression of the shear layer instability can lead to a higher-base-pressure distribution, which can reasonably be associated with drag reduction and suppression of the lift fluctuations. The analysis of convective Mach number and self-sustained oscillations phenomenon inside the shear layers indicates that both the compressible effect and high-frequency forcing result in suppression of the shear layer instability of tabbed cylinder.
