Taylor-Couette flow occurs between two concentric cylinders, one or
both of which is allowed to rotate in either the same or opposite senses.
Since G.I. Taylor's pioneering work (1923), it has stood the test of
time as a flow of fundamental fluid dynamical importance and is still being
extensively studied (c.f. http://www.couette-taylor2001.nwu.edu/ct/program.htm).
Experiments have revealed a tremendous variety of patterns depending. Some of the flow states are shown in the figures below.
Various quantities can be extracted from the simulations, including
torques, energy dissipation, angular momentum profiles. In addition, the
behaviour of particle paths can be explored by integrating the particle
path equations for the computed velocity fields. This allows the
mechanisms of transport and mixing to be investigated.
Apart from its fundamental importance, Taylor-Couette flow has many practical applications. Taylor-Couette vessels have been used as a reaction vessel (to quantify the relationship between shear and aggregation by coagulation or flocculation), viscometry, cooling of rotating electrical machinery, dynamic filtration and classification, electrolytic applications and catalytic chemical reactors.