Mixing layer between two co-current Taylor-Couette flows

TL;DR

This paper derives an analytical solution for the mixing layer in a Taylor-Couette flow with discontinuous cylinder rotation, revealing how the mixing zone width varies radially and introduces additional vorticity.

Contribution

It provides the first analytical model for the mixing layer between co-current Taylor-Couette flows with discontinuous cylinder rotation.

Findings

The mixing zone width varies only with radial position.

Radial vorticity is generated alongside primary axial vorticity.

An explicit analytical velocity profile is derived.

Abstract

A new mixing layer can be generated if the rotation of either of the two cylinders in a Taylor--Couette apparatus varies discontinuously along the symmetry axis. The mixing zone between the two resulting co-current streams gives rise to radial vorticity in addition to the primary axial vorticity. An analytic solution for the azimuthal velocity has been derived from which we show that the width of the mixing zone varies only with radial position.