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Updated: Nov 23, 2025

Investigating the Three-dimensional Flow Separation Induced by a Model Vocal Fold Polyp
Published on: February 3, 2014
Navier-Stokes-based model of the clarinet
1Department of Physics, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama 36849, USA.
Abstract:
A model of a single reed instrument is studied in which the reed is described as an Euler-Bernoulli beam, and the air flow through the instrument is calculated using the Navier-Stokes equations. The hypothetical instrument resembles a clarinet, but is smaller than a real clarinet to keep the numerical modeling feasible on available supercomputers. This article explores the conditions under which the frequency of the reed oscillations and the emitted sound are determined by the resonant frequency of the bore of the instrument. The effect of the contact between the reed and the player's lips is also studied, and quantitative results for the air density and pressure in the mouthpiece and throughout the instrument bore are also presented.
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