Numerical Calculation of the Fully Developed Turbulent Flow in an Axially Rotating Pipe With a Second-Moment Closure

Abstract

The effect of axial tube rotation on the fully developed pipe flow is analyzed by a low-Reynolds-number turbulence closure and compared with experimental results. A flow which is initially turbulent is stabilized by the rotation leading to a laminarized mean axial velocity distribution. The applied second-moment closure reveals an encouraging ability to capture this phenomenon as well as other features of the mentioned flow configuration. The “rapid” part of the pressure-strain correlation model is found to have a significant influence on the numerical results and seems to be the key for further improvements concerning highly swirling flows.