Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
Using a numerical technique we demonstrate that the flow of the simplest differential viscoelastic fluid
model (i.e., the upper-convected Maxwell model) goes through a bifurcation to a steady asymmetric state
when flowing in a perfectly symmetric ‘‘cross-slot’’ geometry. We show that this asymmetry is purely elastic in nature and that the effect of inertia is a stabilizing one. Our results are in qualitative agreement with very recent experimental visualizations of a similar flow in the microfluidic apparatus of Arratia et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 96, 144502 (2006)].
Description
Keywords
Elastic instabilities Bifurcation Cross-slot UCM model