THE ISOTHERMAL TRANSITION FROM LAMINAR TO TURBULENT FLOW OF FLUIDS IN PIPES, CONCENTRIC ANNULI, AND PARALLEL PLATES
A single criterion is presented which allows prediction of the transition from laminar to turbulent flow of fluids in geometries ranging from open pipes through concentric annuli to parallel plates. For the special case of Newtonian fluids herein treated, the criterion is uniquely related to the familiar Reynolds number. The theoretically determined dependence of the critical Reynolds number on the radius ratio r/sub 1//r/sub 2/ for flow in concentric annuli exhibits a maximum value. This maximum value is N/sub R/sub e/ sub c/ (max) = 2461 which occurs at r/sub 1//r/sub 2/ = 0.15. Experimental data for literature sources are compared with the theoretical curve and are found to be in good agreement with the predictions. In particular, the existence of maximum critical Reynolds number for annular flow is clearly shown by the data. (auth)
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge Gaseous Diffusion Plant, Tenn.
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-26
- NSA Number:
- NSA-17-003115
- OSTI ID:
- 4765951
- Report Number(s):
- TID-14354
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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