An Experimental Study of the Secondary Flow in a Curved Rectangular Channel

The Taylor-Gortler vortex pattern in a curved rectangular channel of high aspect ratio has been examined using hot wire anemometry. Using a two dimensional traversing mechanism, velocity surveys have been made at several radial locations across the channel for several values of Dean number. The velocity measurements show that the periodic secondary motion undergoes a phase shift as the hot wire probe crosses the midplane between the concave and convex walls. The measurements also indicate that the secondary flow wave number is constant over the range of Dean numbers examined. Complementary flow visualization photographs of the secondary motion have also been obtained.