Flow Dynamics and Heat Transfer in Rotating Systems

The study of fluid motion and thermal energy transport in rotating environments underpins the design and optimisation of turbomachinery, rotating reactors and energy converters. Rotating flows are profoundly influenced by inertial forces arising from system spin, notably the Coriolis acceleration and centrifugal buoyancy, which give rise to distinct flow structures such as Ekman layers adjacent to rotating discs and inviscid cores in rotor–stator cavities. Heat transfer in these systems is governed by the interplay between forced and natural convection, the latter driven by radial temperature gradients and buoyancy effects. Laminar and turbulent regimes may coexist, with transition thresholds determined by dimensionless parameters including the Reynolds and Rayleigh numbers. Conjugate heat transfer—coupling solid conduction with fluid convection—becomes critical in applications such as compressor discs, where thermal expansion and stresses are tightly interlinked. Advances in computational simulation, such as large-eddy and reduced-order models, alongside novel experimental rigs, have deepened understanding of mixed convection phenomena and transient thermal response. Practical applications span gas-turbine cooling, chemical reactor mixing and the control of tip clearances in aero-engines. Continued research seeks to refine predictive models for complex geometries, manage thermal deformation and enhance efficiency under transient and high-rotation-rate conditions.

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Flow Dynamics and Heat Transfer in Rotating Systems publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in flow dynamics and heat transfer in rotating systems across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ekman layer: Thin boundary layer on rotating surfaces where viscous forces balance Coriolis accelerations, governing near-wall flow and heat transfer.

Rayleigh number: Dimensionless parameter expressing the ratio of buoyancy to viscous damping, used to characterise natural convection strength in rotating cavities.

Nusselt number: Dimensionless heat transfer coefficient indicating the ratio of convective to conductive heat transfer at a surface.

Swirl ratio: Dimensionless measure of azimuthal flow strength relative to system rotation, influencing core stability and mixing.

Conjugate heat transfer: Integrated analysis of heat conduction in solids and convective heat transfer in fluids, essential for accurate thermal prediction in coupled systems.

References

1. Large-eddy simulation of axial, radial and mixed centrifugal convection in a closed rotating cavity. International Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer (2024).
2. Transient heat transfer and temperatures in closed compressor rotors. Applied Thermal Engineering (2023).
3. Swirl Flow and Heat Transfer in a Rotor-Stator Cavity with Consideration of the Inlet Seal Thermal Deformation Effect. Aerospace (2023).