Numerical investigation of transitional flow in co- and counter-rotating annular cavity

A 3D direct numerical simulation is performed to study the transitional flow in co- and counter-rotating annular cavity of the aspect ratio 5. The identification and characterization of mechanisms related to the laminar-turbulent process in rotating cavities should improve the prediction methods and lead to new, more effective boundary layer control strategies. Numerical computations are based on the pseudo-spectral Chebyshev-Fourier method for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equation. The numerical computations allow one to describe the steady axisymmetric basic state and 3D instability structures which appear in the transitional flow. The DNS computations are interpreted in the light of our LSA results. Moreover, the absolute instability regions are theoretically identified and the critical Reynolds numbers of the convective/absolute transition in both layers are given.