Secondary Flow Phenomena in Rotating Radial Straight Pipes

• Main Authors: K. C. Cheng, Liqiu Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hindawi Limited 1995-01-01
• Series: International Journal of Rotating Machinery
• Subjects: Rotating radial pipes; Visualization; Transition flow.
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/S1023621X9500025X

Flow visualization results for secondary flow phenomena near the exit of a rotating radial-axis straight pipe (length ࡁ = 82 cm, inside diameter d = 3.81 cm, ࡁ/d 21.52) are presented to study the stabilizing (relaminarization) and destabilizing (early transition from laminar to turbulent flow) effects of Coriolis forces for Reynolds numbers Re = 500 ∼ 4,500 and rotating speeds n = 0 ∼ 200 rpm. The flow visualization was realised by smoke injection method. The main features of the transition phenomena are disclosed for Re = 1,500 and 4,500. The observed secondary flow patterns are found to be quite different from those obtained by theoretical or numerical analysis with one pair of symmetric and steady counter-rotating vortices. The practical implications of the visualization study are pointed out.