Anisotropic turbulence in a flow of incompressible fluid between rotating coaxial cylinders (Q583019)

The problem of developed turbulent flow of a viscous incompressible fluid between circular coaxial cylinders (Couette flow) is solved. The inner cylinder rotates with constant angular velocity, and the outer cylinder is fixed. The region of flow is divided into two boundary layers adjacent to the cylinders, and the kernel of the flow. Experimental and theoretical studies have shown 1-4 that the turbulent flow of a Newtonian fluid near a rigid wall has a structure. In the present paper the turbulent fluid in the boundary regions is regarded as an oriented fluid and as a viscous fluid with a turbulent viscosity that is constant over the transverse cross-section at the kernel. Unlike existing solutions the model remains unchanged when changing from the flow between two parallel walls to the flow between rotating cylinders. The solution obtained shows good agreement with experimental data.