Transitions in the Small Gap Limit of

Taylor-Couette Flow
Kathleen A. Hinko, The Ohio State University, REU Summer 2003
Advisor: Dr. C. D. Andereck, The Ohio State University

Introduction
Fluid dynamics plays a powerful role in nature. Whether it is the movement of
underwater currents, the path of a hurricane, or local weather conditions, fluid motion affects
peoples daily lives. Thus, it is important to study and understand such phenomena from a
physical perspective. In order to isolate specific fluid behaviors from the plethora of variables
present in an environmental setting, certain experimental setups are utilized by physicists. Two
of these systems, the Plane Couette and Taylor-Couette, have been used to varying effects to
examine turbulent patterns in fluids.
In theory, the Plane Couette system is arguably the most straightforward fluid dynamical
modeling system; experimentally, however, it may present the greatest challenge. Figure 1 is a
diagram of the Plane Couette system. Mechanical energy is transferred from the motion of two
shearing plates to the fluid that lies in between them. The relative velocity of the two plates
determines the amount of energy transferred to the fluid, which characterizes the resulting flow
state. This type of setup can been achieved using a conveyor belt-like apparatus, but concerns
about conditions at the boundaries of the fluid, as well as the distance over which the plates
actually move, prevent the plane Couette system from producing reliable flow states.

ri

ro

v2
v1
i
o
Figure 1. Plane Couette System

Figure 2. Taylor-Couette System

In contrast, the Taylor-Couette system, due to its realizable construction, simple

geometry, and reproducible flow states, has been used by physicists for over a century. Two
rotating cylinders with differing radii, one inset in the other, transfer energy to a fluid that lies
between them. This apparatus, shown in Figure 2, was developed independently in the late
1800s by Mallock in England and Couette in France as a means to measure viscosity. In 1923
Taylor published groundbreaking observations of the flow states in this system, which we refer
to today as the Taylor-Couette system, rather unfortunately for Mallock. Research since this
time has given physicists a thorough understanding of Taylor-Couette flow under certain
commonly used parameters. Andereck et al. published in 1986 the graph shown in Figure 3,
which identifies the characteristic flow states of Taylor-Couette systems where the ratio of the
inner cylinder to the outer cylinder is from 0.7 to 0.9. The axes of the graph are the outer and
inner Reynolds numbers of the cylinders, as defined by

Ro / i =

d ro / i o / i

where ro / i is the radius of either the outer or inner cylinder, d is the difference between the outer
and inner radii, o / i is the angular velocity of either the outer or inner cylinder, and is the
viscosity of the fluid between the cylinders.

Figure 3. Diagram of Taylor-Couette flow states by Andereck et al.

It has been proposed that as the radius ratio of the cylinders approaches one, the local
topology of the flow will resemble that of a plane Couette system while still maintaining the
global topology of the Taylor-Couette system. Therefore, we believe that we will be able to
study plane Couette flow in the context of a Taylor-Couette system.

Experimental Setup

Metal cap
CCD camera

Inner cylinder
Outer cylinder

Rubber boundary

Drain
Controllers

Gear box

Stepper motors

Figure 4. Diagram of Taylor-Couette system and CCD camera as set up in the lab.

The inner cylinder is made of nylon and has an outer radius of 29.54 cm. The outer
cylinder is made of clear Plexiglas and has an inner radius of 29.84 cm. This gives a radius ratio
of 0.99 and a gap width of 0.30 cm. A metal cap on the top of the outer cylinder keeps the
cylinder rim from becoming elliptical. A piece of rubber sheeting is glued to the inside of the
outer cylinder at the bottom to form a boundary between the fluid underneath the inner cylinder
and the fluid on the sides of the system. With this boundary we hope to isolate the turbulence on
the sides of the system from whatever fluid motion may be occurring in-between the bases of the
cylinders. Small valves have been inserted into the base of each cylinder at various locations,
two on the inner and two on the outer, which act as air vents and drains respectively.

Figure 5. A picture of the Taylor-Couette

system with one motor attached.

The rotation of each cylinder is controlled by a Compumotor stepper motor, which is

controlled by a Compumotor 2100 Series indexer. Worm gears inside the gear box facilitate the
rotation of the vertical shafts connected to the cylinders.
Water is used as the fluid in the system and has a viscosity of 0.100. One percent
Kalliroscope is added to the water for visualization purposes, and 1% Kalliroscope Stabilizer is
added as well to keep the Kalliroscope flakes suspended. Kalliroscope is made of flat polymers
that face outward and reflect light in the direction of flow. The viscosity of the solution is
increased by just 1% due to the presence of these substances.

Data Acquisition
We control our experimental variables automatically using LabView software. This
software, written by Christopher Carey at The Ohio State University, sets the speed for each
cylinder, allows for a period of rotation at this speed, collects data, and then increments the
Reynolds number to repeat the process. It is necessary for the system to run for a time after the
rotation rate has changed in order for residual turbulence effects from the cylinder acceleration to
settle out. For the data discussed here, this period of time was 5 minutes, followed by a 5 minute
data acquisition. A CCD camera takes an image of the side of the system at a rate of 10 frames

per second. A row of pixels from each image is projected in sequence onto a space-time
diagram, an example of which is shown in Figure 6. For our experiment, space-time diagrams
were created for every fifth Reynolds number between 450 and 1600; thus with this method, we
were able to look at many flow patterns effectively and efficiently.

Space
Time

Figure 6. Example of the projection of still frame onto space-time diagram

Observations
Data was taken with the outer cylinder stationary, while the Reynolds number for the
inner cylinder was changed. For Reynolds numbers Ri = 0 to 350, we observe Couette flow, a
featureless fluid state. Starting at approximately Ri = 350, we see the onset of Taylor Vortex
Flow (TVF). This flow state is characterized by horizontal vortices that are about as wide and as
tall as the gap and form slowly until they span the space from the bottom to top of the cylinders.
As shown in Figure 7 the TVF has stabilized at Reynolds number Ri = 450.

Figure 7. Still photo and spacetime diagram at Reynolds number

Ri = 450. We see the TVF flow
state.

Still picture at Ri = 450

Space-time diagram

At slightly higher Reynolds numbers, Ri = 455, we observe the secondary phase

transition, Wavy Vortex Flow (WVF), which is TVF with a vertically oscillating wave
superimposed over the vortices (Figure 8). The formation of TVF followed by WVF is seen in
Taylor-Couette systems with smaller radius ratios as well.

Figure 8. Still photo and spacetime diagram at Reynolds number

Ri = 455. We see the WVF flow
state.

Still picture at Ri = 455

Space-time diagram

At Reynolds number Ri = 460, however, we observe a new type of transition in the flow,
in the form of isolated patches of high frequency turbulence; a still photo of such a patch is
shown in Figure 9. These patches, which we have named Very Short Wavelength Bursts
(VSWB), increase in number as the Reynolds number of the inner cylinder gets larger, until the
flow state is saturated with VSWB. Figure 10 shows the progression of Reynolds numbers and
the corresponding space-time diagrams. Although the fluid is in a very turbulent state, the flow
retains a laminar background of horizontal vortices which we see as dark bands in spatial
direction. Theoretical predications for Plane Couette flow indicate that the flow states will
contain localized areas of weak turbulence. Thus, we believe that the flow states we observe at
Reynolds numbers greater than 500 may be a combination of both Plane Couette and TaylorCouette flow.

Figure 9. Still image of VSWB.

Ri = 510

Ri = 565

Ri = 1200

Figure 10. Space-time diagrams of VSWB at various Reynolds numbers. For Ri = 1200, the flow
is clearly saturated with VSWB; however, the dark bands in the spatial direction indicate that there
is still a background of laminar flow.

Conclusions
At Reynolds numbers greater than 500, we observe high frequency patches of weak
turbulence; this instability is a bifurcation of WVF. These chaotic formations, which we call
Very Short Wavelength Bursts, saturate the flow at high Reynolds numbers. The VSWB may be
a superposition of flow states common to both Taylor-Couette and Plane Couette systems.

Future Work
Over the next year, I plan to explore the full range of both inner and outer Reynolds
numbers and calculate the turbulence percentages as a function of the Reynolds number in order
to gain a more quantitative understanding of the flow in our system. I will also design and build
additional inner cylinders with shorter radii than the current inner cylinder in order to determine
in total the parameters of our particular Taylor-Couette system.

Acknowledgments
I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. C. David Andereck, for his guidance throughout the
summer. I also must recognize Christopher Carey, who designed and built our Taylor-Couette
system, wrote the appropriate operational and analytical programs, and graduated from Ohio
State with his B.S. in June 2003. I have deeply appreciated his invaluable advice and assistance.
Finally, thank you to The Ohio State University Department of Physics for giving me this
research opportunity.
This research is supported by the National Science Foundation.

Bibliography
Andereck, C. David, et. al. Flow Regimes in a circular Couette system with independently

rotating cylinders. J. Fluid Mech. Vol. 164, pp 155-183: 1986.

Carey, Christopher. Undergraduate Senior Thesis: Critical Transitions and Pattern Formation

In the Large Radii, Small Gap Limit of the Taylor-Couette System. The Ohio State
University: 2003.
Colovas, Peter William. PhD Dissertation: The Formation of Time Dependent Patterns in Non-

Equilibrium Fluid Dynamical Systems. The Ohio State University: 1996.

Degen, Michael Merle. PhD Dissertation: Time-Dependent Pattern Formation in Fluid

Dynamical Systems. The Ohio State University: 1997.

Donnelly, Russell. Taylor-Couette Flow: The Early Days. Physics Today: November 1991.
Faisst, Holger. PhD Dissertation: The transition from the Taylor-Couette system to the plane

Couette system. Philipps-Universitat Marburg: 1999.