scholarly journals Turbulence decay towards the linearly stable regime of Taylor–Couette flow

2014 ◽  
Vol 748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Ostilla-Mónico ◽  
Roberto Verzicco ◽  
Siegfried Grossmann ◽  
Detlef Lohse
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Accretion Disks ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Flow State ◽  
Initial State ◽  
Stable Regime ◽  
Turbulence Decay ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Cylinder Rotation ◽  
Damped Oscillator

AbstractTaylor–Couette (TC) flow is used to probe the hydrodynamical (HD) stability of astrophysical accretion disks. Experimental data on the subcritical stability of TC flow are in conflict about the existence of turbulence (cf. Ji et al. (Nature, vol. 444, 2006, pp. 343–346) and Paoletti et al. (Astron. Astroph., vol. 547, 2012, A64)), with discrepancies attributed to end-plate effects. In this paper we numerically simulate TC flow with axially periodic boundary conditions to explore the existence of subcritical transitions to turbulence when no end plates are present. We start the simulations with a fully turbulent state in the unstable regime and enter the linearly stable regime by suddenly starting a (stabilizing) outer cylinder rotation. The shear Reynolds number of the turbulent initial state is up to $Re_s \lesssim 10^5$ and the radius ratio is $\eta =0.714$. The stabilization causes the system to behave as a damped oscillator and, correspondingly, the turbulence decays. The evolution of the torque and turbulent kinetic energy is analysed and the periodicity and damping of the oscillations are quantified and explained as a function of shear Reynolds number. Though the initially turbulent flow state decays, surprisingly, the system is found to absorb energy during this decay.

scholarly journals Taylor–Couette turbulence at radius ratio : scaling, flow structures and plumes

2016 ◽  
Vol 799 ◽  
pp. 334-351 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roeland C. A. van der Veen ◽  
Sander G. Huisman ◽  
Sebastian Merbold ◽  
Uwe Harlander ◽  
Christoph Egbers ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Azimuthal Velocity ◽  
Velocity Profiles ◽  
Radius Ratio ◽  
Taylor Number ◽  
Turbulent Regime ◽  
Counter Rotation ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Cylinder Rotation

Using high-resolution particle image velocimetry, we measure velocity profiles, the wind Reynolds number and characteristics of turbulent plumes in Taylor–Couette flow for a radius ratio of 0.5 and Taylor number of up to $6.2\times 10^{9}$. The extracted angular velocity profiles follow a log law more closely than the azimuthal velocity profiles due to the strong curvature of this ${\it\eta}=0.5$ set-up. The scaling of the wind Reynolds number with the Taylor number agrees with the theoretically predicted $3/7$ scaling for the classical turbulent regime, which is much more pronounced than for the well-explored ${\it\eta}=0.71$ case, for which the ultimate regime sets in at much lower Taylor number. By measuring at varying axial positions, roll structures are found for counter-rotation while no clear coherent structures are seen for pure inner cylinder rotation. In addition, turbulent plumes coming from the inner and outer cylinders are investigated. For pure inner cylinder rotation, the plumes in the radial velocity move away from the inner cylinder, while the plumes in the azimuthal velocity mainly move away from the outer cylinder. For counter-rotation, the mean radial flow in the roll structures strongly affects the direction and intensity of the turbulent plumes. Furthermore, it is experimentally confirmed that, in regions where plumes are emitted, boundary layer profiles with a logarithmic signature are created.

scholarly journals Exploring the phase diagram of fully turbulent Taylor–Couette flow

2014 ◽  
Vol 761 ◽  
pp. 1-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Ostilla-Mónico ◽  
Erwin P. van der Poel ◽  
Roberto Verzicco ◽  
Siegfried Grossmann ◽  
Detlef Lohse
Keyword(s):  
Phase Diagram ◽  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Couette Flow ◽  
Parameter Space ◽  
Coriolis Force ◽  
Scaling Laws ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Rotating Cylinders ◽  
Aspect Ratios ◽  
Cylinder Rotation

AbstractDirect numerical simulations of Taylor–Couette flow, i.e. the flow between two coaxial and independently rotating cylinders, were performed. Shear Reynolds numbers of up to $3\times 10^{5}$, corresponding to Taylor numbers of $\mathit{Ta}=4.6\times 10^{10}$, were reached. Effective scaling laws for the torque are presented. The transition to the ultimate regime, in which asymptotic scaling laws (with logarithmic corrections) for the torque are expected to hold up to arbitrarily high driving, is analysed for different radius ratios, different aspect ratios and different rotation ratios. It is shown that the transition is approximately independent of the aspect and rotation ratios, but depends significantly on the radius ratio. We furthermore calculate the local angular velocity profiles and visualize different flow regimes that depend both on the shearing of the flow, and the Coriolis force originating from the outer cylinder rotation. Two main regimes are distinguished, based on the magnitude of the Coriolis force, namely the co-rotating and weakly counter-rotating regime dominated by Rayleigh-unstable regions, and the strongly counter-rotating regime where a mixture of Rayleigh-stable and Rayleigh-unstable regions exist. Furthermore, an analogy between radius ratio and outer-cylinder rotation is revealed, namely that smaller gaps behave like a wider gap with co-rotating cylinders, and that wider gaps behave like smaller gaps with weakly counter-rotating cylinders. Finally, the effect of the aspect ratio on the effective torque versus Taylor number scaling is analysed and it is shown that different branches of the torque-versus-Taylor relationships associated to different aspect ratios are found to cross within 15 % of the Reynolds number associated to the transition to the ultimate regime. The paper culminates in phase diagram in the inner versus outer Reynolds number parameter space and in the Taylor versus inverse Rossby number parameter space, which can be seen as the extension of the Andereck et al. (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 164, 1986, pp. 155–183) phase diagram towards the ultimate regime.

Velocity profiles, flow structures and scalings in a wide-gap turbulent Taylor–Couette flow

2017 ◽  
Vol 831 ◽  
pp. 330-357 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Froitzheim ◽  
S. Merbold ◽  
C. Egbers
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Nusselt Number ◽  
Couette Flow ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Azimuthal Velocity ◽  
Cylinder Wall ◽  
Taylor Vortices ◽  
Wide Gap ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Taylor Couette Flow

Fully turbulent Taylor–Couette flow between independently rotating cylinders is investigated experimentally in a wide-gap configuration ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}=0.5$) around the maximum transport of angular momentum. In that regime turbulent Taylor vortices are present inside the gap, leading to a pronounced axial dependence of the flow. To account for this dependence, we measure the radial and azimuthal velocity components in horizontal planes at different cylinder heights using particle image velocimetry. The ratio of angular velocities of the cylinder walls $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$, where the torque maximum appears, is located in the low counter-rotating regime ($\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}_{max}(\unicode[STIX]{x1D702}=0.5)=-0.2$). This point coincides with the smallest radial gradient of angular velocity in the bulk and the detachment of the neutral surface from the outer cylinder wall, where the azimuthal velocity component vanishes. The structure of the flow is further revealed by decomposing the flow field into its large-scale and turbulent contributions. Applying this decomposition to the kinetic energy, we can analyse the formation process of the turbulent Taylor vortices in more detail. Starting at pure inner cylinder rotation, the vortices are formed and strengthened until $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}=-0.2$ quite continuously, while they break down rapidly for higher counter-rotation. The same picture is shown by the decomposed Nusselt number, and the range of rotation ratios, where turbulent Taylor vortices can exist, shrinks strongly in comparison to investigations at much lower shear Reynolds numbers. Moreover, we analyse the scaling of the Nusselt number and the wind Reynolds number with the shear Reynolds number, finding a communal transition at approximately $Re_{S}\approx 10^{5}$ from classical to ultimate turbulence with a transitional regime lasting at least up to $Re_{S}\geqslant 2\times 10^{5}$. Including the axial dispersion of the flow into the calculation of the wind amplitude, we can also investigate the wind Reynolds number as a function of the rotation ratio $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}$, finding a maximum in the low counter-rotating regime slightly larger than $\unicode[STIX]{x1D707}_{max}$. Based on our study it becomes clear that the investigation of counter-rotating Taylor–Couette flows strongly requires an axial exploration of the flow.

scholarly journals Turbulent Taylor–Couette flow with stationary inner cylinder

2016 ◽  
Vol 799 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Ostilla-Mónico ◽  
R. Verzicco ◽  
D. Lohse
Keyword(s):  
Angular Momentum ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Reynolds Numbers ◽  
Law Of The Wall ◽  
Large Scale Structures ◽  
Large Gradient ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Cylinder Rotation

A series of direct numerical simulations were performed of Taylor–Couette (TC) flow, the flow between two coaxial cylinders, with the outer cylinder rotating and the inner one fixed. Three cases were considered, where the Reynolds number of the outer cylinder was $Re_{o}=5.5\times 10^{4}$, $Re_{o}=1.1\times 10^{5}$ and $Re_{o}=2.2\times 10^{5}$. The ratio of radii ${\it\eta}=r_{i}/r_{o}$ was fixed to ${\it\eta}=0.909$ to mitigate the effects of curvature. Axially periodic boundary conditions were used, with the aspect ratio of vertical periodicity ${\it\Gamma}$ fixed to ${\it\Gamma}=2.09$. Being linearly stable, TC flow with outer cylinder rotation is known to have very different behaviour than TC flow with pure inner cylinder rotation. Here, we find that the flow nonetheless becomes turbulent, but the torque required to drive the cylinders and level of velocity fluctuations was found to be smaller than those for pure inner cylinder rotation at comparable Reynolds numbers. The mean angular momentum profiles showed a large gradient in the bulk, instead of the constant angular momentum profiles of pure inner cylinder rotation. The near-wall mean and fluctuation velocity profiles were found to coincide only very close to the wall, showing large deviations from both pure inner cylinder rotation profiles and the classic von Karman law of the wall elsewhere. Finally, transport of angular velocity was found to occur mainly through intermittent bursts, and not through wall-attached large-scale structures as is the case for pure inner cylinder rotation.

Experimental Study of Axial Slit Wall Effect on Taylor-Couette Flow

2007 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sang-Hyuk Lee ◽  
Hyoung-Bum Kim
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Couette Flow ◽  
Vortex Flow ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Velocity Fields ◽  
Taylor Vortex ◽  
Stable Mode ◽  
Taylor Vortex Flow ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Taylor Couette Flow

Taylor-Couette flow has been studied extensively and lots of variables which affect the flow instability are being reported. The wall geometry effect of Taylor-Couette flow, however, has been less studied. In this study, we investigated the effect of axial slit of outer cylinder. This kind of configuration can be easily seen in rotating machinery. Particle image velocimetry method was used to measure the velocity fields in longitudinal and latitudinal planes. The index matching method was used to avoid light refraction. The velocity fields between the slit and plain model which has the smooth wall were compared. From the experiments, both models have the same flow mode below Re = 143. The transition from circular Couette flow to plain Taylor vortex flow began at Re = 103, and the next transition to wavy vortex flow occurred at 124. The effect of slit wall appeared when the Reynolds number is larger than Re = 143. Above this Reynolds number, there was no stable mode and plain and wavy Taylor vortex flow randomly appeared.

Experimental studies on the stability of Newtonian Taylor–Couette flow in the presence of viscous heating

2002 ◽  
Vol 462 ◽  
pp. 133-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
JAMES M. WHITE ◽  
SUSAN J. MULLER
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Experimental Studies ◽  
Onset Time ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Viscous Heating ◽  
Steady Temperature ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
The Stability ◽  
Visualization Techniques

The dramatic effects of viscous dissipation on the stability of Newtonian Taylor–Couette (TC) flows are studied experimentally using flow visualization techniques. Viscous heating, parameterized by the Nahme–Griffith number Na, drives a transition to a new, oscillatory mode of instability when coupled with the effects of centrifugal destabilization. This instability, consisting of travelling axisymmetric vortices, only occurs when viscous heating and centrifugal destabilization are both present. Step tests in cylinder velocity show that the time following initiation of shearing required for onset of instability scales well with the time for the fluid to reach a steady temperature profile under the action of viscous heating. The onset time can be dramatically reduced at fixed Na by increasing the centrifugal destabilization through the addition of co-rotation of the outer cylinder. The onset time can also be reduced while holding the centrifugal destabilization constant by increasing the amount of viscous heating (i.e. holding Reynolds number Re constant while increasing Na). The effects of viscous heating on the critical conditions of Newtonian TC flows are also quantified using ramp tests in cylinder velocity. These tests reveal the large extent to which viscous heating is destabilizing; at Na ≈ 2, a transition occurs at a critical Re that is less than 5% of the isothermal value.

Experiments on the Stability of Taylor-Couette Flow With Different Radial Temperature Gradient

2010 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong Liu ◽  
Hyoung-Bum Kim
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Temperature Gradient ◽  
Couette Flow ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Transition Process ◽  
Taylor Vortex ◽  
Radial Temperature ◽  
Buoyant Force ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Taylor Couette Flow

The effect of the temperature gradient and the presence of slits in the outer cylinders involved in creating a Taylor-Couette flow was investigated by measuring the velocity field inside the gap simultaneously. The slits were azimuthally located along the inner wall of outer cylinder and the number of slits was 18. The results showed that the buoyant force due to the temperature gradient clearly generated the helical flow when the rotating Reynolds number is small. For the plain model, the transition to turbulent Taylor vortex flow is not affected by the temperature gradient considered in this study. In addition, the transition process of 18-slit model was accelerated due to the slit wall. As the temperature gradient became larger, the critical Reynolds number of the transition process decreased.

Spatio-temporal character of non-wavy and wavy Taylor–Couette flow

1998 ◽  
Vol 364 ◽  
pp. 59-80 ◽  
Author(s):  
STEVEN T. WERELEY ◽  
RICHARD M. LUEPTOW
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Couette Flow ◽  
Vortex Flow ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Taylor Vortex ◽  
Meridional Plane ◽  
Azimuthal Wave ◽  
Moderate Reynolds Number ◽  
Taylor Couette ◽  
Taylor Couette Flow

The stability of supercritical Couette flow has been studied extensively, but few measurements of the velocity field of flow have been made. Particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used to measure the axial and radial velocities in a meridional plane for non-wavy and wavy Taylor–Couette flow in the annulus between a rotating inner cylinder and a fixed outer cylinder with fixed end conditions. The experimental results for the Taylor vortex flow indicate that as the inner cylinder Reynolds number increases, the vortices become stronger and the outflow between pairs of vortices becomes increasingly jet-like. Wavy vortex flow is characterized by azimuthally wavy deformation of the vortices both axially and radially. The axial motion of the vortex centres decreases monotonically with increasing Reynolds number, but the radial motion of the vortex centres has a maximum at a moderate Reynolds number above that required for transition. Significant transfer of fluid between neighbouring vortices occurs in a cyclic fashion at certain points along an azimuthal wave, so that while one vortex grows in size, the two adjacent vortices become smaller, and vice versa. At other points in the azimuthal wave, there is an azimuthally local net axial flow in which fluid winds around the vortices with a sense corresponding to the axial deformation of the wavy vortex tube. These measurements also confirm that the shift-and-reflect symmetry used in computational studies of wavy vortex flow is a valid approach.

Spatio-temporal mode dynamics and higher order transitions in high aspect ratio Newtonian Taylor–Couette flows

2009 ◽  
Vol 641 ◽  
pp. 85-113 ◽  
Author(s):  
CARI S. DUTCHER ◽  
SUSAN J. MULLER
Keyword(s):  
Reynolds Number ◽  
Aspect Ratio ◽  
High Aspect Ratio ◽  
Temporal Frequency ◽  
Outer Cylinder ◽  
Flow State ◽  
Temporal Mode ◽  
Spatio Temporal ◽  
Flow States

Spatial and temporal frequency dynamics were experimentally tracked via flow visualization for Newtonian fluids as a function of the inner cylinder Reynolds number (Rei) in the flow between concentric, independently rotating cylinders with a radius ratio of 0.912 and an aspect ratio of 60.7. Eight transitions from laminar to turbulent flow were characterized in detail for a stationary outer cylinder, producing highly resolved space–time and frequency–time plots for wavy, modulated and weakly turbulent states. A previously unreported early-modulated wavy vortex flow was found in our high aspect ratio geometry both with and without the presence of a dislocation. The envelope of stability for this flow state was shown to cross into the co-rotating regime, and is present up to Reo ~ 60, where Reo is the outer cylinder Reynolds number. This early modulation is independent of acceleration in the range 0.18 < dRei/dτ < 2.9, where τ is the time nondimensionalized with a viscous time scale. While many of the flow states have been previously observed in geometries with somewhat different radius ratios, we provide new characterization of transitional structures for Reo = 0 in the range 0 < Re* < 21.4, where Re* = Rei/Rec and Rec is the value of Rei at the primary instability. Special attention has been given to ramp rate. For quasi-static ramps, axisymmetric states are stable over the ranges of Re* = [(0–1.17), > 15.4], states characterized by a single distinct temporal frequency for Re* = [(1.17–1.41), (3.56–5.20), (7.85–15.4)], states with multiple temporal frequencies for Re* = [(1.41–3.56), (5.20–7.85)], and a transition from laminar to weakly turbulent vortices occurs at Re* = 5.49. All flow states are characterized by symmetry/symmetry-breaking features as well as azimuthal and axial wavenumbers.

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