Flow Regime Definition for Flow Between Corotating Disks

Abstract

Experimental data and results are presented for the flow of an incompressible Newtonian fluid, with full admission, between closely spaced corotating disks, and for both radially inward and radially outward throughflows. The data consist of the measured radial pressure distribution together with flow visualization by means of injected dye, over a very wide range of parameters descriptive of the flows. From the data, the combinations of the parameters corresponding with laminar and with turbulent flow are determined; that is, the data are sufficient to define the flow regimes. Furthermore, for laminar flow, both the pressure distribution data and the flow visualization data confirm the adequacy of earlier analytical results for use in the design of practical devices incorporating these flows, such as multiple disk pumps and turbines.