Taylor Vortex Flow at Very Small Aspect Ratio. Mode Formation and Bifurcation in Time-Developing Dynamic System.

Abstract

Mode formation and bifurcation in Taylor vortices are interesting physical phenomena which are typical of those in nonlinear dynamics. In this study, we investigate the system with aspect ratios (column height/gap width) of order of unity and present the numerical results of flows in various modes and unsteady transitions between modes. The appearance of the normal two-cell mode, anomalous one-cell mode, twin-cell mode and unsteady mode is predicted. When the flow starts from rest, the flow in an anomalous mode or twin-cell mode is established after the sudden breakdown of symmetric two-cell mode. In the flow of unsteady mode, the values of physical properties vary periodically. When the rotation speed of the inner cylinder decelerates, the mode transition between normal two-cell mode and anomalous one-cell mode and the transition from twin-cell mode to anomalous one-cell mode are found.