ANALYTICAL SOLUTION FOR A STEADY FLOW OF ENCLOSED ROTATING-DISKS

Low-Reynolds-number flow plays an important role in the centrifugal separation of fluid particles under microgravity conditions and also in micromechanics due to the miniaturization of fluid mechanical parts. In this situation, the governing equations may be simplified. Here an analytical solution is presented for the steady flow of an incompressible viscous fluid between two finite disks enclosed by a cylindrical container for small Reynolds number (Re less-than-or-equal-to 10). The general solution is valid for all choices of the aspect ratio (delta) and different cases of disk to cylinder rotation rates (s). An expression for the torque acting on the disk is obtained. The tangential velocity distribution is calculated and presented graphically for different values of delta and s. Known results in the literature for a single rotating disk and similar problems follow as a particular case of the general solution presented.