Simulation of two-dimensional planar flow of viscoelastic fluid

Abstract

A numerical scheme based on the Finite Element Method has been developed which uses a relaxation factor in the momentum equation with the stresses being evaluated via a streamwise integration procedure. A constitutive equation introduced by Leonov has been used to represent the rheological behavior of the fluid. The convergence of the scheme has been tested on a 2 : 1 abrupt contraction problem by successive mesh refinement for non-dimensional characteristic shear rates, of 5 and 50 for polyisobutylene Vistanex at 27 °C. The recirculation region is shown to increase in size with non-dimensional characteristic shear rate.

Theoretical predictions have been compared with the experimental data which include birefringence and pressure loss measurements. In general, the comparisons have been reasonably good and demonstrates the usefulness of the present numerical scheme and the Leonov constitutive equation to describe real polymer flows.