Taylor–Couette flow of hard-sphere suspensions: overview of current understanding

Abstract

Although inertial particle-laden flows occur in a wide range of industrial and natural processes, there is both a lack of fundamental understanding of these flows and continuum-level governing equations needed to predict transport and particle distribution. Towards this effort, the Taylor–Couette flow (TCF) system has been used recently to study the flow behaviour of particle-laden fluids under inertia. This article provides an overview of experimental, theoretical and computational work related to the TCF of neutrally buoyant non-Brownian suspensions, with an emphasis on the effect of finite-sized particles on the series of flow transitions and flow structures. Particles, depending on their size and concentration, cause several significant deviations from Newtonian fluid behaviour, including shifting the Reynolds number corresponding to transitions in flow structure and changing the possible structures present in the flow. Furthermore, particles may also migrate depending on the flow structure, leading to hysteretic effects that further complicate the flow behaviour. The current state of theoretical and computational modelling efforts to describe the experimental observations is discussed, and suggestions for potential future directions to improve the fundamental understanding of inertial particle-laden flows are provided. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Taylor–Couette and related flows on the centennial of Taylor’s seminal Philosophical Transactions paper (part 1)’.

Flow transitions and effective properties in multiphase Taylor–Couette flow

“…Recent investigations by Majji et al (2018) andRamesh et al (2019) and the review by Baroudi et al (2023) provide detailed insight into the characteristics of Taylor-Couette flow for neutrally buoyant suspensions. In a concentric cylinder cell of 5.5 ≤ ζ ≤ 11 and 0.84 ≤ η ≤ 0.914, Ramesh et al (2019) collected simultaneous measurements of torque and PIV observations, and discovered a variety of flow regimes developing in response to several variables, including ζ , η, solid fraction (which varied in the range 0.1 < φ < 0.25) and rotational acceleration (increasing from rest or decreasing from maximum speed).…”

“…(2019) and the review by Baroudi et al. (2023) provide detailed insight into the characteristics of Taylor–Couette flow for neutrally buoyant suspensions. In a concentric cylinder cell of and , Ramesh et al.…”

Sedimenting-particle redistribution in a horizontal Couette

“…The resulting structure was explained as a competition between interaction with the walls and drift in the complex shear gradient, due to Taylor vortices, finally resulting in a limit cycle for position. Furthermore, more recent studies (Majji, Banerjee & Morris 2018;Baroudi et al 2023) have shown that particles significantly impact the qualitative nature of the Taylor-Couette flow dynamical system.…”

“…Furthermore, more recent studies (Majji, Banerjee & Morris 2018; Baroudi et al. 2023) have shown that particles significantly impact the qualitative nature of the Taylor–Couette flow dynamical system.…”

Taylor–Couette and related flows on the centennial of Taylor’s seminalPhilosophical Transactionspaper: part 2

“…Part 1 of this two-part theme issue explored contemporary topics related to Taylor-Couette flow including turbulent, convective and two-phase flows as well as extensions to magnetohydrodynamic, ferrofluidic and viscoelastic flows and flow geometries that are closely related to the Taylor-Couette problem [3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18]. Part 2 of this theme issue continues with review articles and research articles having their origin in Taylor's 1923 paper.…”