Reduced and increased flow resistance in shear-dominated flows of Oldroyd-B fluids

Stylianos Varchanis, John Tsamopoulos, Amy Q. Shen, Simon J. Haward

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We present a comprehensive analytical and numerical study of shear-dominated flows of Oldroyd-B fluids. Starting from transient ideal Couette flow, we show that less work is required to increase the shear rate than to decrease it. Generalizing this observation to non-homogeneous steady flows, we show that reduced flow resistance is present around streamlines with increasing shear rate and increased flow resistance is present around streamlines with decreasing shear rate. We demonstrate this effect in smoothly converging or diverging Couette and Poiseuille flows. Finally, we show that the reduced flow resistance observed in the flow past a cylinder in a straight channel is caused by the contraction-expansion-like flow that takes place at the sides of the cylinder. Our findings are validated by a wide parametric analysis regarding the geometrical characteristics of the flow domains and the material parameters of the Oldroyd-B model.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number104698
JournalJournal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
Volume300
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 2022

Keywords

  • Contraction flow
  • Drag reduction
  • Expansion flow
  • Flow past a cylinder in a channel
  • Flow resistance
  • Oldroyd-B model
  • Pressure drop
  • Solvent viscosity
  • Viscoelastic fluids

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Chemical Engineering(all)
  • Materials Science(all)
  • Condensed Matter Physics
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Applied Mathematics

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