Effect of viscosity ratio, spin and Reynolds number on the flow characteristics about a liquid sphere in a gas stream

Boundary-layer flow around a spinning liquid sphere moving steadily in a gas stream is investigated numerically. The shear stress exerted on the sphere's surface results in surface rotation in the meridional direction in addition to the azimuthal velocity resulting from the spinning of the liquid sphere. The parameters controlling the flow around the sphere are the external flow Reynolds number (Re), the liquid-to-gas viscosity ratio (μ*) and the spinning parameter (Re_r/Re)². The effect of these parameters on the velocity components (namely the meridional, radial and azimuthal velocity components) and on the shear stress is shown. Moreover, their effect on the location of external flow point of separation is also demonstrated.