Turbulence modelling and measurements in a rotor-stator system with throughflow

The present work considers the turbulent flow inside a high-speed rotor-stator cavity with and without imposed throughflow. New extensive measurements made at IRPHE using a two component laser Doppler anemometry technique and pressure transducers are compared to numerical predictions based on one-point statistical modelling using a low Reynolds number second-order full stress transport closure (RSM). A study of the influence of the flow rate on the flow structure is performed and a better insight into the dynamics of rotor-stator flows is gained from this study. The advanced second-order model provides better predictions than the usual k-epsilon model and proves to be the adequate level of closure to describe such complex flows.