| Abstract: | In solving several technical problems it is necessary to know what takes place in a closed rotating axisymmetric cavity filled with a nonuniformly heated viscous fluid. Such cavities are encountered, for example, in the rotors of steam and gas turbines. The thermal convection in these cavities is studied for a definite temperature condition of the rotors: in 1, 2] some qualitative considerations are presented, and quantitative estimates are given for thermal convection in cavities of turbine rotors; in 3,4] there is presented a very approximate calculation using the method of integral relations of the heat transfer coefficients in the case of a narrow cavity between two rotating disks which have different temperatures.
We note that the thermal convection effect in a rotating cavity may be utilized in various technical devices, for example, in equipment for separating isotopes, etc. 5], A solution is presented for the problem of laminar thermal convection in a narrow cavity between two disks which are rotating with the same velocity and which have different temperatures which are constant along the radius. In the case of the narrow cavity we can neglect the influence of the cylindrical cavity rim on the flow in primary portion of the cavity (see 6]); therefore it is sufficient to solve the self-similar problem for two infinite disks.In conclusion I would like to thank A. Z. Serazetdinov and V. L. Karaseva for carrying out the computer calculations. |
