Numerical Computation of Flow in Rotating Ducts

Abstract

A finite-difference procedure is employed to predict the turbulent flow in ducts of rectangular cross-section, rotating about an axis normal to the longitudinal direction. The flows were treated as “parabolic” and the turbulence model used involved the solution of two differential equations, one for the kinetic energy of the turbulence and the other for its dissipation rate. Agreement with experimental data is good for a constant-area duct at low rotation, but less satisfactory for a divergent duct at larger rotation. It is argued that a “partially-parabolic” procedure will be needed to predict the latter flow correctly.