Computation of Forced Laminar Convection in Rotating Cavities

Finite difference solutions are presented for forced laminar convection in a rotating cylindrical cavity with radial outflow. This forms a simple model of the cooling flow between two compressor disks in a gas turbine engine. If the fluid enters the cavity from a uniform radial source, it is shown that the local Nusselt number changes from that of a “free disk” near the center of the cavity to that for Ekman layer flow at larger radii. With an axial inlet, the flow, and consequently, the heat transfer, is more complex. If vortex breakdown occurs, then the results are very similar to those for the radial inlet case, but otherwise a wall jet forms on the downstream disk, and the heat transfer from this disk may be several times that for the upstream disk. Variation of mean Nusselt number with rotational speed is qualitatively similar to previously published experimental measurements in turbulent flow. The effect of Prandtl number on heat transfer has also been demonstrated.