Fully developed laminar fluid flow in a rotating isothermal isosceles triangular channel

A numerical study is conducted on laminar flow of an incompressible viscous fluid through a triangular channel in the hydrodynamically fully developed flow region. The triangular channel is subjected to a span-wise rotation, and secondary flow motions are introduced by the Coriolis forces. A pair of counter-rotating, longitudinal vortices appears at low rotation speed (small ReRe_Ω)- For moderate to large rotation speed, the vortices split into two pairs of counter-rotating vortices. In certain regions, the counter-rotating vortices become highly unstable, oscillating between two solutions, i.e., one pair vortices and two pairs vortices. Isosceles triangular channels with three aspect ratios (γ = 0.287,0.5,0.866) have been studied. A large range of ReRe_Ω and Ro (Rossby) numbers was calculated. The critical Reynolds number with respect to Rossby number, where the flow instability occurs, is calculated and the dual solution region presented. The results obtained from the computations cover a broad range of parameters, especially from low rotational speed to high rotational speed. The friction factor, velocity profile, and streamline patterns are presented. A comparison of the numerical results with the available theoretical data is also presented.