Analysis of laminar radially outward flow and heat transfer between a stationary and a rotating disk

The problem of laminar flow and heat transfer between a stationary and a rotating disk has been analyzed numerically. The fluid enters the domain through a circular opening in the center of the stationary disk and flows radially outward. A parabolic velocity profile corresponding to fully developed flow in a circular pipe is assumed at the inlet. The rotating disk is taken to be isothermal at a temperature different than the uniform temperature of the incoming fluid, and the stationary disk is adiabatic. Unlike most of the earlier analyses which are of the boundary layer type, the present study deals with the solution of the complete Navier-Stokes equations and the prediction of the entire recirculating flow. Results show that in the presence of rotation, the flow is characterized by two recirculating zones: one close to the inlet, and the second near the outer edge of the disks. The size of the inner separation bubble increases with inlet Reynolds number and spacing between the disks, and the size of the outer bubble decreases with increasing inlet Reynolds number. If the inlet Reynolds number is large enough, the outer recirculating zone can disappear completely. Besides the detailed streamline plots, the results presented include the radial pressure distribution, the torque on the lower and upper plates, the heat transfer from the rotating disk, and the temperature distribution of the stationary disk.