Particle tracking in Taylor–Couette flow

Abstract

The paths of small inertial particles are computed in a steady Taylor vortex background flow. When buoyancy effects are neglected we find that particles denser than the background fluid tend to a limit orbit in the meridional plane. The difference in settling time and orbit size, with varying Reynolds number of the background flow, is investigated. We also consider the effect of the various forces on the limit orbit of the particle.