On the experimental evidence of the sensitiveness of rotor-stator flows with regard to peripheral boundary conditions

Experimental investigation of the external peripheral geometry effects in a rotor-stator system has brought to light the strong influence on the flow structure of a small difference between the disc radii: two distinct regime s can be observed. At given values of the Reynolds number and aspect ratio the flow field is in agreement with the infinite discs solution as soon as the ratio of the stator and the rotor radii becomes sufficiently large. (C) Academie des sciences/Elsevier, Paris.