Turbulent flow between concentric rotating cylinders at large Reynolds number

Abstract

Turbulent Taylor vortex flow is studied in experiments for Reynolds numbers ${10}^3$<R<${10}^6$. Simple scaling of the torque with Reynolds number is m/Inot observed for any range of R, although the characteristic time scales and the transport of passive scalars are found to scale with the global torque measurements. Above a nonhysteretic transition observed at R=1.3×${10}^4$, the torque has a Reynolds number dependence similar to the drag observed in wall-bounded shear flows such as pipe flow and flow over a flat plate.