Abstract: The Taylor-Couette flow in plain and slit models is studied using PIV measurement. To study the temperature gradient and slit wall effect on the flow instability, different temperature gradient condition is built by heating the inner cylinder, and the slit wall is installed in the inner side of outer cylinder. The radius ratio and aspect ratio are 0.825 and 48, respectively. The temperature gradient considered is 4 ℃and 6 ℃, the Re number is from 80 to 110. The results show that the Taylor vortex has the axial moving velocity because of the temperature gradient effect, and the axial size of the vortex is changed. The moving velocity of Taylor vortex is increased as the temperature gradient increased, at the same temperature condition, as the Reynolds number increased, the Taylor vortex moving velocity also increased. And the existence of slit wall increased the radial velocity, which is 130% larger than plain model. The size of anticlockwise vortex in the vortex pair increased, and the vortex center of this vortex deviation from inner cylinder.

Key words: Taylor vortex flow;temperature gradient;slit wall model;vortex size;index matching method