The Twente turbulent Taylor-Couette (T3C) facility: Strongly turbulent (multiphase) flow between two independently rotating cylinders

TL;DR

This paper introduces a new turbulent Taylor-Couette system capable of studying high-Reynolds-number flows and two-phase turbulence, with advanced sensors and optical access for detailed flow analysis.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel, large-scale Taylor-Couette facility with independent cylinder rotation, high Reynolds number capabilities, and integrated sensors for comprehensive turbulence and drag studies.

Findings

System achieves Reynolds numbers up to 3.4 million.

Enables investigation of bubble and particle effects on turbulence.

Provides detailed flow visualization and skin-friction measurements.

Abstract

A new turbulent Taylor-Couette system consisting of two independently rotating cylinders has been constructed. The gap between the cylinders has a height of 0.927 m, an inner radius of 0.200 m, and a variable outer radius (from 0.279 to 0.220 m). The maximum angular rotation rates of the inner and outer cylinder are 20 and 10 Hz, respectively, resulting in Reynolds numbers up to 3.4 x 10^6 with water as working fluid. With this Taylor-Couette system, the parameter space (Re_i, Re_o, {\eta}) extends to (2.0 x 10^6, {\pm}1.4 x 10^6, 0.716-0.909). The system is equipped with bubble injectors, temperature control, skin-friction drag sensors, and several local sensors for studying turbulent single-phase and two-phase flows. Inner cylinder load cells detect skin-friction drag via torque measurements. The clear acrylic outer cylinder allows the dynamics of the liquid flow and the dispersed phase (bubbles, particles, fibers, etc.) inside the gap to be investigated with specialized local sensors and nonintrusive optical imaging techniques. The system allows study of both Taylor-Couette flow in a high-Reynolds-number regime, and the mechanisms behind skin-friction drag alterations due to bubble injection, polymer injection, and surface hydrophobicity and roughness.