Linear Stability Theory of Non‐Isothermal Flow Between Two Rotating Disks

The objective of the present study is to investigate the flow stability of mixed convection in non‐isothermal rotating fluids between a rotating disk and a stationary one. The buoyancy effects stemmed from the rotational forces, including centrifugal and Coriolis, are taken into account. A similarity model of thermal flow with the assumption of Boussinesq fluids is formulated for generating axially symmetric solutions of the basic state. Disturbance equations are derived by using the concept of small perturbation of normal mode expressions, and then solved by the Chebyshev collocation spectral method. The influences of the rotation‐induced buoyancy effects and the rotational conditions on the flow stability characteristics of the two‐disk rotating fluid motion are explored. The present results disclose the mechanisms and the significance of the rotation‐induced buoyancy on flow stability characteristics of the non‐isothermal fluids in the rotor‐stator disk systems.