An Experiment on a Taylor Vortex Flow in a Gap with a Small Aspect Ratio : Bifurcation of Flows in a Symmetric System

Abstract

This experimental study is concerned with the instability of several Taylor vortex flows between concentric cylinders for a symmetric end condition. The flow has several characteristic patterns: primary mode, normal secondary mode, and anomalous mode which has outward flow on either the upper or the lower end plate and/or on both end plates of cylinders. It is found that the anomalous mode changes to another anomalous mode or the secondary normal mode or primary mode when the Reynolds number is gradually decreased. Consequently, a bifurcation set of complex flows is presented with the bifurcation diagram in a symmetric system.