Temperature gradient effect on Taylor-Couette flow

Abstract

We have investigated different temperature gradient effect on Taylor-Couette flow. The radius ratio and aspect ratio of the model was 0.825 and 48, respectively. Two heating exchangers were used for generating different temperature gradient. The flow regime in the Taylor-Couette flow was studied by increasing the Reynolds number. The results showed that: as Gr is increased, in helical vortex flow regime, the vortex with the same direction of convection flow increased in size, and the moving velocty also increased. It is also shown that the presence of temperature gradient increased the flow instability obviously as the Richardson number larger than 0.004 5. ? 2011 American Institute of Physics.