Rotating Compressible Flow Over the Edge of a Finite Disk

Abstract

Numerical and asymptotic solutions of the similarity equations governing the laminar compressible rotating flow near the edge of a finite disk are presented for a wide range of the Prandtl and Eckert numbers and the disk-to-external flow ratios of azimuthal velocity and temperature. By appropriate transformations, the compressible flow is reduced to a formulation similar to that of the incompressible flow. Wall heating and dissipation effects are shown to be equivalent to an increment of the velocity of the disk in the sense opposite to that of the outer flow. In the limit of small velocity or temperature difference between the disk and the outer flow, the solutions show how an Ekman layer is started at the edge.