The behaviour of Couette-Taylor flow in an azimuthal plane

Abstract

We investigated the behaviour of Couette-Taylor flow in an azimuthal cross section by flow visualization using Kalliroscope flakes, and by image analysis of the obtained movie. Kalliroscope flakes are platelet and can make shear flow visible. Wavy vortex flow mode (WVF) in which an azimuthal wave mode superposes Taylor vortex flow mode (TVF) was investigated. Wave number and phase velocity of the azimuthal wave appearing in WVF at higher Reynolds number were determined by image analysis. Azimuthal flow structure of modulated wavy vortex flow mode (MWVF) was clearly visualized and the modulation component of MWVF was investigated by Fourier analysis of a temporal variation of brightness distribution extracted from a movie of visualized flow. Continuous wavelet analysis shows that spatial-temporal behaviour of MWVF on an azimuthal plane: the modulation first appears near the outer cylinder and spreads globally. © 2008 IOP Publishing Ltd.