FLUID-FLOW AND HEAT-TRANSFER BETWEEN FINITE ROTATING-DISKS

The laminar flow between finite rotating disks with a shroud has been analyzed using a velocity and a stream function formulation, employing Galerkin's method with B-spline basis. Though results from both formulations are in good agreement with the LDV data on velocity profiles, and with each other, we find the stream function formulation clearly superior computationally, and we employ it subsequently to study heat transfer between the disks. The calculations show strong boundary-layer character near the disks. The Nusselt number depends upon both geometry and the Reynolds number.