Fluid Motion Between Rotating Concentric Cylinders Using

COMSOL Multiphysics™
Kabita Barman1, Sravanthi Mothupally1, Archana Sonejee1, and Patrick L. Mills*1
1
Department of Chemical and Natural Gas Engineering, Texas A&M University-Kingsville
*Corresponding author: Texas A&M University-Kingsville, Department of Chemical & Natural Gas Engineering, EC
303D, MSC 193, 700 University Blvd, Kingsville TX 78363-8202, USA. Email: Patrick.Mills@tamuk.edu

Abstract: A fluid dynamics analysis of the whose outer wall is stationary while the inner
velocity and pressure fields that occur in the wall rotates is an important problem within the
annular gap between two concentric cylinders broader scope of fluid flows within annular
with a stationary outer cylinder and a rotating regions. COMSOL Multiphysics™ provides a
inner cylinder is presented. Both the transient modeling platform for investigating various non-
and steady-state velocity and pressure profiles of ideal effects that can occur in this particular
an isothermal, Newtonian fluid are considered. configuration under both transient and steady-
The effect of varying the angular velocity of the state flow conditions. Knowledge of non-ideal
inner cylinder, fluid viscosity and radius of the effects is important for the design of equipment
inner cylinder on the fluid velocity and pressure and interpretation of any derived parameters,
profiles are examined. The results show that the such as fluid viscosity, pressure drop, and fluid
fluid velocity profiles approach a fully- flow rates.
developed state only after travelling a distance The primary objective of this study is
that is much greater than the annular gap illustrate the use of COMSOL Multiphysics™ to
between the cylinders. It is also shown that the determine the fluid velocity and pressure profiles
pressure exerted on the inner cylinder increases between two concentric cylinders in which the
monotonically with rotational speed. Results inner cylinder is rotating and the outer cylinder is
that illustrate the potential utility of using stationary for the case where non-ideal end
COMSOL Multiphysics™ to study the fluid flow effects are included. An analytical solution to
stability and parametric behaviour are also the simplified 1-D form of the equations of
illustrated. motion for both the transient and steady-state
fluid velocity and pressure profiles have been
Keywords: Concentric cylinders, COMSOL developed, which applies to the case where end
Multiphysics™, velocity and pressure profiles, effects are neglected (Bird and Curtiss, 1959a,
Newtonian fluid, rotational viscometer. 1959b). The analytical solution for the
developing fluid velocity in 1-D is complex and
1. Introduction is expressed as an infinite series of Bessel
functions. A detailed accounting of end effects,
Fluid-flow patterns in laboratory-scale, pilot- which is required to assess the error incurred for
plant scale, and commercial-scale equipment simpler 1-D models, requires a 3-D numerical
where a fluid is contained between concentric solution to the Navier-Stokes equations where
rotating cylinders in the absence of bulk axial the assumption of vanishing velocity
flow has received notable attention in fluid components in the angular and axial directions is
mechanics, applied mathematics and chemical relaxed. Parameters that are varied include the
engineering. This fluid-solid hydrodynamic radii of the inner and outer cylinders, rotational
contacting pattern, which is often referred to as speed of the inner cylinder, and kinematic
an annular flow, occurs in many practical viscosity of the fluid. Conditions that lead to the
technology-driven applications, such as in the onset fluid-flow instability are also examined.
production of oil and gas, centrifugally-driven
separation processes, electrochemical cells, fluid 2. Description of Physical System
viscometers, tribology, hydraulic equipment, and
chemical reactors. Understanding the flow An example of a typical physical system that
behavior in a vertically-oriented annular gap involves concentric cylinders where one or both

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

may be rotating occurs in fluid viscometry. have rich mathematical properties. Of particular
Analysis of this particular system has a rich interest here is development of insight into the
history from the perspectivr of both theory and fluid motion for the case where end effects are
experiments, which has been partly captured in a included as an entry point for exploring the
series of chapters that appear in an edited capabilities of COMSOL Multiphysics™ for
monograph (Andereck and Hayot, 1991). A system modelling.
simplified schematic of a Couette viscometer is
shown in Figure 1 (Bird et al., 2007). The fluid 3. Governing Equations
whose viscosity is to be determined is placed in
the cylindrical cup, which is then rotated at a 3.1 Overview
constant angular velocity Ωo. The cup contains
an assembly in the interior that consists of a bob This section describes the development of
with a set of stationary baffles on the lower and the 1-D model for the fluid velocity distribution
upper region of the cup. The bob is suspended for the case where the outer cylinder is stationary
and is connected to a thin vertical torsion wire at and the inner cylinder is rotating. The velocity
the top. The wire is calibrated beforehand and distribution is needed to derive an expression for
has a known torsion constant kt. The wire allows the torque, which is the working relationship
the bob to undergo variation in angular rotation used to extract fluid viscosity data from
θo, which is created by the fluid force acting on experimental measurements of the torque versus
the outer surface of the bob as a result of rotational speed. The analytical expression for
momentum transport. The fluid rotation causes the velocity distribution also provides the basis
the suspended bob to turn until the torque Tzf for an initial estimate for the 3-D velocity field.
produced by the fluid force acting on the bob is
equal to the counter-acting torque defined as 3.1 Equation of continuity
product of the torsion constant kt and the angular
displacement θo of the bob, i.e., Tzw = kt θo. The equation of continuity for cylindrical
Analysis of the fluid motion in the annular coordinates (r,θ,z) is given by (Bird et al., 2007)
region can be performed on

If end effects are neglected, the velocity

distribution in the angular direction can be
assumed to mainly depend upon the radial
coordinate. Hence, the contribution of the radial
vr and axial vz components of the velocity vector
v = [vr vθ vz] can be assumed to be negligible so
that vr = vz = 0 and vθ = vθ (t, r) where the
dependence on time t is included for the transient
solution. In addition, the fluid density is
invariant since the fluid is maintained at a
Figure 1. Schematic of a Couette viscometer in which constant temperature. With these assumptions,
the outer cylinder is rotating and the inner cylinder is the equation of continuity reduces to
stationary. (Adapted from Bird et al., 2007).

various levels of complexity, depending upon the

choice of viscometer system design and
geometry, fluid properties, and operating 3.2 Equation of motion
conditions (Andereck and Hayot, 1991). In
practical applications of Couette viscometry for The equations of motion in cylindrical
determination of fluid viscosity, complicating coordinates (r,θ,z) for a Newtonian fluid with
aspects such as fluid instabilities and bifurcation constant density and viscosity are given by Bird
phenomena are to be avoided, although they et al. (2007). The components of these equations

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

are summarized below where all components of θ – component:
the velocity vector v = [vr vθ vz] are included.
The reduced forms are then given for the 1-D
case where vr = vz = 0 and vθ = vθ (r,t).
r - component:
z-component:

(z points upwards)

3.3 Boundary conditions and solutions

The boundary conditions (BCs) are that the

fluid does not slip at the surface of the two
cylindrical surfaces. When the outer cylinder is
rotating and the inner cylinder is fixed, then the
θ – component:
BCs are:

B.C. 1 at r = κR, vθ = 0
B.C. 2 at r = R, vθ = ΩoR

Solving the θ component of the equation of

motion given above using these BCs yields

z-component: Another operating mode occurs when the outer

cylinder is fixed and the inner cylinder is rotating
at Ωi. The BCs for this case then become

B.C. 1 at r = κR, vθ = ΩiR

B.C. 2 at r = R, vθ = 0

Following a similar process for solving the θ

component of the equation of motion using these
BCs results in the following expression for vθ(r)
In the above equations, the z-coordinate is
assumed to have an origin as shown in Figure 1
with the positive direction being upward.
Applying the assumptions given above for
the velocity components, along with the reduced
form of the equation of continuity, generates the 3.4 Determination of the torque
following simplified component forms for the
equations of motion. The momentum flux for the case where the
outer cylinder is rotating and the inner cylinder is
r-component:
fixed is defined as

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

 The torque imparted by the fluid acting on
the inner cylinder is defined as the product of the
total force acting on the surface of the inner
cylinder and the lever arm. The total force is
determined by evaluating the inward pointing
momentum flux (-τrθ) at the surface of the
cylinder, and then multiplying this result by the
total external surface area of the cylinder with
the lever arm. The final result is:

 κ2 
Tz = (-τ rθ ) r =κ r
(2πκRL) (κR) = 4πµ Ω 0 R 2 L 
2
1 - κ 

This torque-based upon this formula would be Figure 2. Meshed Geometry

the value measured if end effects were negligible
since it is based on the assumption that vθ = vθ(r). Table 1: Model Parameters
Analysis of the 3-D flow field is required to
assess the deviation from the assumed ideal Name Symbol Value
behavior. Outer Cylinder R1 1.5 [in]
Radius
4. Use of COMSOL Multiphysics Inner Cylinder R2 1.2 [in]
Radius
CFD is extensively used to predict and Height of the H 10 [cm]
analyze the behavior of fluid flows in complex Cylinder
geometries. COMSOL Multiphysics™ is Rational Speed of Ω 1000
particularly useful to analyze systems involving Inner Cylinder [1/min]
various multiphysics, such as combined fluid
flow, energy transport, and species transport. In Table 2: Transport Parameters for Water
connection with the current investigation,
Buehler and Louw (2008) used COMSOL to Name Symbol Value
investigate the behavior of spherical gap flows Viscosity µ 0.1 [Pa.s]
using two concentric spheres. The results Density ρ 0.918 [kg/m3]
showed the non-uniqueness of the supercritical
solutions and interesting aspects of the connected
bifurcations. 6. Results and Discussion

5. Numerical Method Simulations were performed to determine the

effect of the inner cylinder angular velocity and
The 3-D geometry of concentric rotating the radius of the inner cylinder (and hence the
cylinder system where the inner cylinder is width of the annular gap width) on the fluid
rotating and outer cylinder is stationary was velocity, torque and pressure profiles under
developed by using the COMSOL laminar flow conditions. Selected results are
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) module summarized below.
for determination of the velocity and pressure
profiles. A typical meshed geometry is shown in 6.1 Pressure profiles
Figure 2.
The model parameters are tabulated in The pressure profiles for the coaxial
Table1. For simplicity, the fluid flowing in the cylindrical rotational viscometer where the inner
annular region is assumed to be water. The cylinder rotates are compared in Figure 3 and 4
physical parameters for water are given in Table for rotational speeds of 55 and 555 RPM,
2. respectively. The initial pressure for the system
was taken as 1 atm. The results in Figure 3,

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

which correspond to 55 RPM, show that the profiles at intermediates heights are still
pressure difference is on the order of 1.0 x 10-3. evolving. Also, the highest velocity is clearly at
When the rotational speed is increased by an the surface of the inner rotating cylinder with
order-of-magnitude to 555 RPM, a pressure zero velocity at the stationary outer cylinder as
difference of ca. 40 x 10-3, is produced, which is expected.
almost a factor of 50 greater than that produced
at 55 RPM.

Figure 6. Velocity profile of the fluid at different

Figure 3. Pressure profile of the fluid at viscometer heights in annular gap of viscometer at 555 rpm and 5
rotational speed of 55rpm and time 5 secs secs

6.3 Effect of varying the inner cylinder radius.

Figure 7 shows the effect of increasing the

width of the annular gap by decreasing the radius
of the inner rotating cylinder while keeping the
outer cylinder radius constant. The fluid velocity
decreases with an increase in the annular gap so
the flow is deeper in the laminar flow regime.

Figure 4. Pressure profiles of the fluid at a

viscometer rotational speed of 555 rpm and time 5
secs.
a. b.
Figure 7. Velocity profiles of fluid when the inner
6.2 Velocity profiles
radius is varied. Fig. 7a: Ri = 0.035; Fig.7b: Ri =
0.020.
The velocity profiles for the fluid at
different heights in the viscometer in the annular 6.4 Fluid velocity profiles
region are shown in Figures 6. As expected, the
velocity profile at the bottom of the cylinder is The 3-D graphical perspectives are very
not fully developed. However, it appears to helpful in understanding the effect of various
approach a fully-developed profile only as the fluid properties, system geometry, and
top rim of the viscometer is reached since the operational parameters on the system behavior.

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

However, 1-D plots of the velocity profiles at = 0 and at t = 5 sec, respectively. The results at t
selected heights of the cylinders also provide = 0 correspond to the initial startup of the
useful insight. Various parameters were varied cylinder. It can be clearly seen that the initial
in order to study this behavior. Figure 8 shows velocity profiles are steeper that those at 5 sec.
the height at which the velocity profiles were Figure 11 shows how the velocity profiles
evaluated. develop during startup of the inner cylinder.
When the cylinder speed varies from a resting
state at t = 0 to an instantaneous set point of 55
RPM, the velocity profile varies rapidly.
Consequently, the velocity profiles at t = 0.5 s
and t = 5 sec overlap, which suggests that the
velocity profile has approached a steady-state
distribution.

Figure 8. Height at which the velocity profiles were

evaluated (0.05 m).

Figure 11. Developing velocity profiles during inner

cylinder start up

Figure 9. Effect of inner cylinder on fluid velocity

profiles at 555 rpm and t = 0 secs.

Figure 12. Velocity profiles in the annulus at various

rotational speeds and t = 5secs

6.5 Determination of the torque

Figure 10. Effect of inner cylinder on fluid velocity
profiles at 555 rpm and t = 5secs
As explained earlier, the torque imparted by
Figures 9 and 10 show the velocity (in m/s) the fluid acting on the inner cylinder is defined
at various annular gaps (in m) corresponding to t as the product of the total force acting on the

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston

surface of the inner cylinder and the lever arm. H height of the cylinder, m
The equation given above section 3.4 applies to p fluid pressure, kg/m.sec2
the case where the velocity vθ = vθ(r) so that end v velocity, m/sec
effects are neglected. The resulting equation for r radial coordinate in cylindrical
the torque shows that collection of torque Tz coordinate, m
versus rotational speed Ω0 data would result in a z axial coordinate in cylindrical
linear relationship with a slope equivalent to the coordinate, m
fluid viscosity for the given temperature. It is
evident that a viscometer instrument whose end Greek Letters
effects are negligible is desirable since the data
interpretation is simplified. Θ arctan (y/x)
In the current analysis, it is shown that angle in cylindrical coordinates, radians
determination of end effects requires solution of ρ density, kg/m3
the 3-D form of the Navier-Stokes equations. µ viscosity, Pa-s
Consequently, the fluid shear stress at the ω rotational speed of the inner cylinder,
cylinder wall is no longer invariant along the min-1
cylinder surface. Hence, determination of the vr, vθ, vz velocities in cylindrical coordinates
force requires integration of the shear stress at gr, gθ, gz acceleration due to gravity in cylindrical
the cylinder surface over the height of the coordinates, m/s2
cylinder. These results are discussed elsewhere
(Barman et al., 2015).
8. References

7. CONCLUSIONS 1. A. M. Sharf., H. A. Jawan. and Fthi A.

Almabsout, The influence of the tangential
COMSOL Multiphysics™ was used to study velocity of inner rotating wall on axial velocity
the fluid behavior in an annular region between profile of flow through vertical annular pipe with
where two concentric cylinders where the inner rotating inner surface, EPJ Web of Conferences
cylinder was rotating while the outer cylinder 67,02105 (2014)
was stationary. Solution of the 3-D Navier- 2. R. B. Bird and C. F. Curtiss, Tangential
Stokes equations in the laminar flow region Newtonian flow in annuli-I, Chem. Eng. Sci. 11,
shows the presence of non-ideal fluid velocity pp.108-113 (1959)
profiles on each end. The flow approaches a 3. E. V. Podryabinkin and V. Ya. Rudyak,
fully-developed laminar profile only after Moment and forces exerted on the inner cylinder
traveling a distance that is several times the in eccentric annular flow, Journal of Engineering
annular gap width. The analytical solution for Thermophysics, 20, 3, pp.320-328 (2011).
the case where the fluid velocity profile depends 4. J. M. Nouri and J. H. Whitelaw, Flow of
only on the azimuthal component of the velocity Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids in an
vector in the radial direction agrees with the 3-D eccentric annulus with rotation of the inner
solution in the fully-developed zone. It is also cylinder, Int. J. Heat and Fluid Flow, 18, 2,
shown that the pressure gradient increases with April 1997
increasing rotational speed. The COMSOL 5. R. B. Bird et al., Transport Phenomena, 2nd
model provides a starting basis for applications Edn., Wiley, New York (2007)
involving non-newtonian fluids, such as those 6. K. Barman, S. Mothupally, A. Sonejee, and
used in natural gas drilling muds, polymers and P. L. Mills, “Fluid Motion Between Rotating
other complex fluids. Concentric Cylinders Using COMSOL
Multiphysics,” Oral presentation given at the
COMSOL 2015 Conference, Boston, session on
8. Nomenclature Computational Fluid Dynamics, October 8,
2015.
R1 radius of the outer cylinder, m
R2 radius of the inner cylinder, m

Excerpt from the Proceedings of the 2015 COMSOL Conference in Boston