On particle-modified velocity fields of particulate Taylor–Couette flow

Abstract

Particulate Taylor–Couette flow of a particle-laden viscous fluid between two coaxial rotating cylinders is studied using a novel hydrodynamic model. With the volume fraction of particles as the dimensionless small parameter, explicit leading-order solutions are derived for the general case of dispersed particles heavier or lighter than the carrier fluid. It is shown that, unlike the classical azimuthal velocity field of a clear fluid without particles, dispersed particles generally have a radial velocity toward the outer or inner cylinder depending on the angular velocities and radii of the two cylinders and whether the particles are heavier or lighter than the carrier fluid, in qualitative agreement with some known results reported in literature on heavier or lighter particles, respectively. In some cases, such as the flow driven by rotating inner cylinder with a wider gap between the two cylinders and a moderate value of Stokes number of particles, our results predict the existence of a circular ring between two cylinders, which attracts or repels heavier or lighter particles that could have relevant physical implications. Beyond existing literature on the Taylor–Couette flow with neutrally buoyant particles, these results could offer new insight and useful explicit solutions to the Taylor–Couette flow with particles heavier or lighter than the carrier fluid.