Flow of a Fluid Contained between Concentric Cylinders Both Rotating

Abstract

The flow between concentric cylinders both rotating in the same or opposite directions has been studied by flow visualization and velocity measurement. We used slit illumination for flow observation and pitot and hot wire probes for velocity measurement and obtained the following results. When the outer cylinder rotates faster than the inner one in the same direction, the flow is stabilized and the laminar flow region is fairly wide but there is a fluctuation which is too small to observe. The boundary beyond which a spiral turbulence occurs has marked hysteresis and changes with the fluid used. When the tow cylinders rotate in opposite direction s, Taylor vortices and spiral turbulence arise almost simultaneously and both exist together in the gap at some Reynolds number. Such situation is supported by velocity fluctuation and its power spectrum.