Experimental investigation of torque scaling and coherent structures in turbulent Taylor-Couette flow

Journal article (2011)

Authors

S. Tokgoz Support Marine and Transport Techology , Fluid Mechanics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
G.E. Elsinga Fluid Mechanics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
R. Delfos Fluid Mechanics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
J. Westerweel Fluid Mechanics - Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering
Research Group
Fluid Mechanics (Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering) (TU Delft)
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Published Date

2011

Language

English

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Faculty

Mechanical, Maritime and Materials Engineering

Department

Process and Energy

Research Group

Fluid Mechanics

Abstract

The effect of flow structures to the torque values of fully turbulent Taylor-Couette flow was experimentally studied using tomographic PIV. The measurements were performed for various relative cylinder rotation speeds and Reynolds numbers, based on a study of Ravelet et al. (2010). We confirmed that the flow structures are strongly influenced by the rotation number. Our analyses using time-averaged mean flow showed the presence of Taylor vortices for the two smallest rotation numbers that were studied. Increasing the rotation number initially resulted in the shape deformation of the Taylor vortices. Further increment towards only outer cylinder rotation, showed transition to the dominance of the small scale vortices and absence of Taylor vortex-like structures. We compared the transition of the flow structures with the curves of dimensionless torque. Sudden changes of the flow structures confirmed the presence of transition points on the torque curve, where the dominance of small and large scale vortical structures on the mean flow interchanges.