Quantitative visualization of Taylor-Couette flow with helical protrusion using optical and ultrasound imaging method

Abstract

The simplified flow of drilling process in the soil hardening or oil rig site was experimentally investigated. Two flow models were used. One is the concentric cylinders with helical protrusion at the inner cylinder. The other is the concentric plain wall cylinders with axial flow. The radius ratio and aspect ratio of both models are the same with 0.65 and 48, respectively. The mud is the typical fluid seen in the soil hardening processes. We used the water and the mud for the working fluid. We used the optical PIV for the water flow measurement and echo PIV for the mud flow. In case of the water study, the dominant vortical structures appeared in both the protrusion and plain model with axial flow. In case of mud flow, the vortices shown in the water model disappeared and the push and pull-up motion by the protrusion is dominant. We believe this information can be useful to understand the flow physics of drilling process in the complex fluid flow. ? 2016, Editorial Department of Journal of Drainage and Irrigation Machinery Engineering. All right reserved.