Flow patterns in a rotating cylinder with liquid and a free cylindrical core at vibration

Abstract

In the present work, the modes of steady time-average flows are studied experimentally, which are realized in a quasi-coaxial layer at circular inertial oscillations of a free cylindrical core and its simultaneous differential rotation. The outer cylinder is formed by the wall of a hermetically sealed rotating container. The inner cylinder (core) is hollow and made of polyester film. The volume between the cylinders is filled with a low-viscosity incompressible fluid (water), into which small heavy particles are added, which serve for visualization. The container is installed horizontally and rotates rapidly, so that the core occupies a stable position on the cavity axis. To measure the rotation rate of the core, synchronization with the flicker frequency of a stroboscope is used; to study the flow structure by the distribution of visualizer particles, photo-recording is used. To excite the core oscillations, translational vibrations are applied to the container directed perpendicular to the axis of rotation. In this case, an intensive leading rotation of the core is generated. Depending on the mode of the core motion, various distribution structures of the visualizers are observed. At relatively low rates of the core rotation, structures with a spatial period characteristic of inertial waves are observed. In the case of moderate rates, one observes a regular system of toroidal vortices. At high rates, the flow becomes irregular. The system of toroidal vortices is associated with the centrifugal instability. The threshold of its occurrence is noticeably lower than in the case of the classical Couette–Taylor flow. Analysis of the results shows that the system under study has essential prerequisites for the lowering of the onset threshold of Taylor vortex flow.