Analysis of the flow pattern modifications in a bubbly Couette-Taylor flow

The aim of this Brief Communication is to discuss the bubble effect on the Couette-Taylor flow patterns in the transition from laminar to turbulent flow, especially in the weakly turbulent regime. It is shown that bubble location and local void fractions both in the vortices cores and in the near wall regions directly influence the axial wavelength. Bubbles trapped in the vortices tend to increase the vorticity and reduce the axial diffusivity. Bubbles near the wall contribute to "shear induced" turbulence depending on the void fraction gradient near the wall and the bubble size. (C) 2007 American Institute of Physics.