The Effect of Taylor Vortex Flow on the Development Length in Concentric Annuli

Abstract

Results are presented of an investigation into a developing, combined axial and rotational flow in an annular gap formed by a stationary outer cylinder and a rotatable inner cylinder for an annulus radius ratio of 0–8 and an axial Reynolds number of 1200.

These results show that, in the Taylor vortex flow régime, the development length decreases with the parameter Re²_a/Ta and that the greatest development length in an annular gap, for a given axial Reynolds number, occurs when the Taylor number is near to its critical value.

Consideration of isothermal heat transfer through the outer wall of the annular gap suggests that, in the development of the flow, the Nusselt number rises to a high value before falling to a constant value, at full development.