Flow and Heat Transfer Mechanisms in a Rotating Compressor Cavity Under Centrifugal Buoyancy-Driven Convection

Abstract This paper presents a systematic study of flow and heat transfer mechanisms in compressor disk cavity with an axial throughflow under centrifugal buoyancy-driven convection, comparing previously published experimental data. Wall-modeled large-eddy simulations (WMLES) are conducted for six operating conditions, covering range rotational Reynolds number (3.2×105−2.2×106), buoyancy parameter (0.11–0.26), Rossby (0.4–0.8). Numerical accuracy computational efficiency the considered. Wall predictions compared measured data good level agreement. A constant rothalpy core occurs at high Eckert number, appearing to reduce driving force. The is turbulent unsteady laminar Ekman layers observed on both disks except bore affected region downstream cob. shroud Nusselt number–Rayleigh scaling agrees that natural convection gravity Rayleigh numbers. Disk dominated by conduction across layers, close pipe forced correlation. structure investigated showing strong unsteadiness extends into throughflow.