STUDY OF TAYLOR-COUETTE FLOW USING A 3-SEGMENT ELECTRODIFFUSION PROBE

The axial and azimuthal components of the shear rate on the wall of th e outer fixed cylinder of a pair of concentric cylinders with the inne r cylinder rotating was measured using a three-segment electro-diffusi on probe. The axial distribution of the components was found by sweepi ng vortices past the probe by means of a small axial flow. A nonzero a xial shear rate component indicated the onset of Taylor vortices. Azim uthal waves on the vortices caused fluctuations of both components. Th e instabilities were measured two geometries characterized by R(1)/R(2 ) = 0.84 and 0.7. The probe was calibrated ia the same apparatus with R(1)/R(2) = 0.94. The Stuart theory for the growth of vortex velocity with angular velocity agrees well with the amplitude of the fundamenta l mode measured with R(1)/R(2) = 0.84. Qualitative agreement was found with the numerical results of Fasel and Booz, especially between the axial shear rate component measured with R(1)/R(2) = 0.7 and the vorti city calculated for R(1)/R(2) = 0.5.