Transition in the flow between conical cylinders

Abstract

Flow visualization and the polarographic method were used to study the transition to turbulence of the flow in a concentric annulus formed by conical cylinders of the same apex angle. The inner cone was rotated and the outer one kept stationary.

Observations and spectral investigation revealed different flow states in the transition as the Taylor number was increased. The flow states include Taylor vortices, helical flow, wavy spirals, fluctuations regime and turbulence. In this system the turbulence occurs when all the structures observed before disappear. Therefore a complete chaotic motion is obtained. Measurements of the mean and fluctuating wall velocity gradient complete the transition information.