Unsteady 3-Dimensional Calculation of the Flow between Concentric Rotating Cylinders

Abstract

The flow between concentric rotating cylinders, which is called the Taylor vortex flow, shows various types of flow. These flows are classified into three modes. One is called the primary mode, which appears when the inner cylinder is accelerated gradually, and the others are called the secondary normal and secondary anomalous modes, which appear with a sudden increase in the inner cylinder's rate of rotation. Unsteady three-dimensional numerical simulations considering the effects of the inner cylinder's acceleration have been performed in order to reveal the different processes that occur between the primary normal and secondary normal modes. The bifurcation causing these modes was observed under the same conditions as in the experiment. Transitions to wavy Taylor vortex flow from both modes appeared with increasing time. In addition, velocity and torque fluctuations for a certain point in the flow field and for the inner cylinder, respectively, are shown.