Experimental study of the flow in the cavity between rotating disks

An experimental investigation using laser-Doppler anemometry was conducted in the cavity between rotating disks. Measurements of velocity were taken for rotor-stator and counterrotating disk flows. Batchelor-type flow was observed for the rotor-stator flow, and Stewartson-type flow in the counterrotating disk system. The core flow of the counterrotating disks is turbulent for x2ReΦ as low as 2.16 × 104, but the boundary layer flow remains laminar for x2 ReΦ ≤ 1.1 × 105. The velocity measurements show good agreement with previously published hot-wire anemometry measurements and theoretical predictions.