Numerical investigation of instability patterns in Taylor-Couette flow under various configurations

This study numerically investigates the onset and evolution of instabilities in a Taylor-Couette system under differential heating. Special emphasis will be placed on characterizing hydrodynamic instabilities for various configurations to determine the optimal setup for effectively controlling the flow regime. The conservation equations and boundary conditions controlling the problem are modeled using the Finite Volume Method with second order of discretization. Our findings reveal that differential rotation significantly impacts the stability of the flow, with distinct instability thresholds observed for different rotational configurations. The results show that the dynamic and thermal field in horizontal ducts depend totally on the azimuthal direction in the mixed convection. In addition, the corotation configuration stands out as the optimal choice for achieving a balance between stability and thermal efficiency for both forced and mixed convection. Although the counter-rotating configuration allows fast conveying and vigorous mixing, it is not suitable for all applications due to potential turbulence.