Centrifugal Flow in a Rotor-Stator Cavity

Abstract

The present work considers the turbulent flow inside an annular rotor-stator cavity with and without centrifugal throughflow. Extensive measurements performed using a two-component laser-Doppler anemometer technique, and pressure transducers are compared to numerical predictions based on one-point statistical modeling using a low-Reynolds-number second-order full-stress transport closure. A study of the flow control parameters is performed, and, for the first time, a better insight into the transition from Batchelor to Stewartson types of flow is gained from this study. The advanced second-order model is confirmed to be the adequate level of closure to describe such complex flows.