Abstract
It has been observed1,2 that when a polymeric solution flows through a circular pipe under a pressure gradient which varies periodically about a non-zero mean, the mean volumetric flow irate increases over that which is due to the mean pressure gradient alone. The magnitude of this flow enhancement depends on the fluid properties and is a function of the mean pressure gradient and the amplitude and the frequency of its varying component. Theoretical work1–6 has indicated that this phenomenon is due to the shear-thinning property of the polymeric fluid. More generally, the flow enhancement arises because of the non-linear relationship between the stress and the strain rate which causes the effective viscosity to decrease. Indeed, we show here that a flow enhancement is possible for a Bingham fluid7.
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Phan-Thien, N., Dudek, J. Pulsating flow of a plastic fluid. Nature 296, 843–844 (1982). https://doi.org/10.1038/296843a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/296843a0
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