Numerical Investigation on the Transition of Fluid Flow Characteristics Through a Rotating Curved Duct

Abstract

Time-dependent flow investigation through rotating curved ducts is utilized immensely in rotating machinery and metal industry. In the ongoing exploration, time-dependent solutions with flow transition through a rotating curved square duct of curvature ratio 0.009 have been performed. Numerical calculations are carried out for constant pressure gradient force, the Dean number Dn = 1000 and the Grashof number Gr= 100 over a wide range of the Taylor number values – 1500 ≤ Tr ≤ 1500 for both positive and negative rotation of the duct. The software Code::Blocks has been employed as the second programming tool to obtain numerical solutions. First, time evolution calculations of the unsteady solutions have been performed for positive rotation. To clearly understand the characteristics of regular and irregular oscillations, phase spaces of the time evolution results have been enumerated. Then the calculations have been further attempted for negative rotation and it is found that the unsteady flow shows different flow instabilities if Tr is increased or decreased in the positive or in the negative direction. Two types of flow velocities such as axial flow and secondary flow and temperature profiles have been exposed, and it is found that there appear two- to four-vortex asymmetric solutions for the oscillating flows for both positive and negative rotation whereas only two-vortex for the steady-state solution for positive rotation but four-vortex for negative rotation. From the axial flow pattern, it is observed that two high-velocity regions have been created for the oscillating flows. As a consequence of the change of flow velocity with respect to time, the fluid flow is mixed up in a great deal which enhances heat transfer in the fluid.

Keywords

• rotating curved duct
• taylor number
• flow transition
• secondary flow
• heat transfer