Flow Between Two Coaxial Rotating Cylinders

Abstract

The flow pattern between two coaxial rotating cylinders changes from Couette flow to Taylor vortex flow with an increase in the rotation speed. The flow systems described here are Couette flow and laminar Taylor vortex flow. Even though Couette flow is one of the simple shear flows, because it a reasonably good model for certain kinds of friction bearings, it is significant to experimentally clarify the drag reduction phenomenon with fluid slip for the frictional torque acting on a rotating shaft for the practical applications. In the Taylor vortex flow range, the effect of the apparent fluid slip on the vortex formation is examined analytically and experimentally.

Keywords: Drag reduction, two coaxial rotating cylinders, Couette flow, Taylor vortex flow, Göltler vortex, Taylor cell, moment coefficient, highly waterrepellent wall, wall shear stress, slip velocity, Non-Newtonian fluid, power-law model.