3D reconstruction of the flow and vortical field in a rotating sharp "U" turn channel

Particle image velocimetry experiments have been carried out to obtain visualizations and measurements of the main and secondary flow fields in a square channel with a sharp "U" turn. Both the main and the secondary flow fields have been used to perform a 3D reconstruction of the mean flow and vortical fields in the turn region and in the outlet duct. In order to study the influence of the rotation, tests both in stationary (absence of rotation, Re = 20,000) and in rotating (Re = 20,000 and Ro = 0.3) conditions have been performed. The results show that the Coriolis and centrifugal forces, caused by the rotation, yield strong modifications to the symmetrical flow and vortical fields that are generated, in the static case, only by the abrupt inversion of the flow direction.