Numerical Simulation of Taylor–Couette Flows with Rotating Outer Wall Using a Hybrid Spectral/Finite Element Method

• Published in: Theoretical foundations of chemical engineering Vol. 55; no. 6; pp. 1258 - 1273
• Main Authors: Nabila Ouazib, Salhi, Yacine, El-Khider SI-Ahmed, Legrand, Jack, Arhaliass, Abdellah, Degrez, Gérard
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.11.2021; Springer Nature B.V; MAIK Nauka/Interperiodica
• Subjects: Aspect ratio; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Convection-diffusion equation; Couette flow; Counter rotation; Engineering Sciences; Finite element method; Flow stability; Fluid flow; Gravitational effects; Incompressible flow; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Mass transfer; Reaction-diffusion equations; Rotating cylinders; counter rotation; mass transfer; numerical simulation; Taylor–Couette flows
• ISSN: 0040-5795; 1608-3431
• DOI: 10.1134/S0040579521060087

Taylor–Couette flow between independently rotating cylinders with a relatively small aspect ratio Γ = 2.4 has been investigated numerically. The Navier–Stokes equations with the uncoupled convection-diffusion-reaction equation are solved using a spectral development in one direction combined together with a finite element discretization in the two remaining directions. The study includes the effects of the gravitational and the centrifugal potentials on the stability of incompressible Taylor–Couette flow. When the cylinders start rotating from rest, it is shown that the counter rotation promotes the appearance of the abnormal mode. Furthermore, for a strong counter rotation new small vortices appeared between the outer cylinder and the normal cells. In addition, the effect of the counter-rotation of the cylinders on the mass transfer is pointed out showing a distortion on the Sherwood number and an increase on its amplitude.