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Local measurements of turbulent angular momentum transport in circular Couette flow

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Abstract

We report on velocity fluctuations and the fluctuation-driven radial transport of angular momentum in turbulent circular Couette flow. Our apparatus is short (cylinder height to gap width ratio Γ ~ 2) and of relatively high wall curvature (ratio of cylinder radii η ~ 0.35). Fluctuation levels and the mean specific angular momentum are found to be roughly constant over radius, in accordance with previous studies featuring narrower gaps. Synchronized dual beam Laser Doppler Velocimetry (2D LDV) is used to directly measure the r − θ Reynolds stress component as a function of Reynolds number (Re), revealing approximate scalings in the non-dimensional angular momentum transport that confirm previous measurements of torque in similar flows. 2D LDV further allows for a decomposition of the turbulent transport to assess the relative roles of fluctuation intensity and r − θ cross-correlation. We find that the increasing angular momentum transport with Re is due to intensifying absolute fluctuation levels accompanied by a slightly weakening cross-correlation.

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Acknowledgement

The LDV system used in this work was leased from Dantec Dynamics, Inc.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, California State University, San Marcos, CA, USA

    M. J. Burin

  2. Nova Photonics, Inc., One Oak Place, Princeton, NJ, 08540, USA

    E. Schartman

  3. Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, USA

    H. Ji

Authors
  1. M. J. Burin
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  2. E. Schartman
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  3. H. Ji
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Correspondence to M. J. Burin.

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Burin, M.J., Schartman, E. & Ji, H. Local measurements of turbulent angular momentum transport in circular Couette flow. Exp Fluids 48, 763–769 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-009-0756-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00348-009-0756-9

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