Direct numerical simulation of Open Von Kármán Swirling Flow

Direct numerical simulations are used to investigate the Open Von Kármán Swirling Flow, a new type of unsteady three-dimensional flow that is formed between two counter-rotating coaxial disks with an axial extraction enclosed by a cylinder chamber. Solution verification shows that monotonic convergence is achieved on three systematically refined grids for average pressure at the disk periphery with a small grid uncertainty at 3.5%. Effects of the rotational speeds and flow rates on the flow field are examined. When the disks are rotating at the lowest speed, ±100 RPM, only circular vortices are formed regardless of the flow rates. When the disks are rotating at ±300 RPM and ±500 RPM, negative spiral vortex network is formed. The radial counterflow concept for such spiral vortex network is verified by examining various horizontal cuts and radial velocity component, which show radial outflows in two bands near the two disks and radial inflow in one band between them. Overall, the flow is similar to the Stewartson type flow but with significant differences for all three velocity components due to the axial suction at the upper disk center and gap between the disk periphery and chamber wall.