A Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Two Parallel Co-Rotating Disk System

Abstract

An experimental study was conducted to determine the fluid flow and heat transfer characteristics in the passage formed by two parallel rotating disks. The local heat transfer coefficients along the disk radius were measured in detail and the flow patterns between the two rotating disks were visualized using a laser-light-sheet method. It was disclosed that (1) the self-sustained laminar flow separation which is characteristic of stationary disks still exists even when the disks are set in motion, and it affects the heat transfer remarkably. (2) For small source flow Reynolds number, Re, and large rotational Reynolds number, Rew, rotating stall dominates the heat transfer. (3) Heat transfer for steady laminar flow exists only when both the source-flow and rotational Reynolds numbers are relatively small : Re < 1200 and Rew < 20.