NUMERICAL MODELING OF TURBULENT-FLOW AND HEAT-TRANSFER IN ROTATING CAVITIES

The present work considers the numerical modeling of turbulent flow in rotating cavities with a radial imposed flux and a preliminary examination of heat transfer prediction. Two turbulence models are studied. the standard k-epsilon low-Reynolds-number approach and a zonal approach using second-order algebraic stress model in the core region adapted to rotating flows. The computational procedure is based on a finite volume method. Predictions are compared with experimented data in the literature. The results bring to light the importance of a detailed near-wall treatment in order to properly capture the Ekman layer region. Second-order modeling seems to be necessary to attain a wider practical value, particularly in the presence of recirculation zones and three-dimensional effects in strong rotation.