A boundary‐only approach to the deformation of a shear‐thinning drop in extensional Newtonian flow

The influence of shear thinning on drop deformation is examined through a numerical simulation. A two‐dimensional formulation within the scope of the boundary element method (BEM) is proposed for a drop driven by the ambient flow inside a channel of a general shape, with emphasis on a convergent–divergent channel. The drop is assumed to be shear thinning, obeying the Carreau–Bird model and the suspending fluid is Newtonian. The viscosity of the drop at any time is estimated on the basis of a rate‐of‐strain averaged over the region occupied by the drop. The viscosity thus changes from one time step to the next, and it is strongly influenced by drop deformation. It is found that small drops, flowing on the axis, elongate in the convergent part of the channel, then regain their spherical form in the divergent part; thus confirming experimental observations. Newtonian drops placed off‐axis are found to rotate during the flow with the period related to the initial extension, i.e. to the drop aspect ratio. This rotation is strongly prohibited by shear thinning. The formulation is validated by monitoring the local change of viscosity along the interface between the drop and the suspending fluid. It is found that the viscosity averaged over the drop compares, generally to within a few per cent, with the exact viscosity along the interface.     

A comparison of boundary element and finite element methods for modeling axisymmetric polymeric drop deformation

A modified boundary element method (BEM) and the DEVSS‐G finite element method (FEM) are applied to model the deformation of a polymeric drop suspended in another fluid subjected to start‐up uniaxial extensional flow. The effects of viscoelasticity, via the Oldroyd‐B differential model, are considered for the drop phase using both FEM and BEM and for both the drop and matrix phases using FEM. Where possible, results are compared with the linear deformation theory. Consistent predictions are obtained among the BEM, FEM, and linear theory for purely Newtonian systems and between FEM and linear theory for fully viscoelastic systems. FEM and BEM predictions for viscoelastic drops in a Newtonian matrix agree very well at short times but differ at longer times, with worst agreement occurring as critical flow strength is approached. This suggests that the dominant computational advantages held by the BEM over the FEM for this and similar problems may diminish or even disappear when the issue of accuracy is appropriately considered. Fully viscoelastic problems, which are only feasible using the FEM formulation, shed new insight on the role of viscoelasticity of the matrix fluid in drop deformation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Boundary element analysis of three-dimensional mixing flow of Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids

The boundary element method (BEM) is implemented for the simulation of three-dimensional transient flows of typical relevance to mixing. Creeping Newtonian and viscoelastic fluids of the Maxwell type are examined. A boundary-only formulation in the time domain is proposed for linear viscoelastic flows. Special emphasis is placed on cavity flows involving simple- and multiple-connected moving domains. The BEM becomes particularly suited in multiple-connected flows, where part of the boundary (stirrer or rotor) is moving, and the remaining outer part (cavity or barrel) is at rest. In this case, conventional methods, such as the finite element method (FEM), generally require remeshing or mesh refinement of the three-dimensional fluid volume as the flow evolves and the domain of computation changes with time. The BEM is shown to be much easier to implement since the kinematics of the elements bounding the fluid is known (imposed). It is found that, for simple cavity flow induced by a rotating vane at constant angular velocity, the tractions at the vane tip and cavity face exhibit non-linear periodic dynamical behavior with time for fluids obeying linear constitutive equations. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three‐dimensional simulation of planar contraction viscoelastic flow by penalty finite element method

The planar contraction flow is a benchmark problem for the numerical investigation of viscoelastic flow. The mathematical model of three‐dimensional viscoelastic fluids flow is established and the numerical simulation of its planar contraction flow is conducted by using the penalty finite element method with a differential Phan‐Thien–Tanner constitutive model. The discrete elastic viscous split stress formulation in cooperating with the inconsistent streamline upwind scheme is employed to improve the computation stability. The distributions of velocity and stress obtained by simulation are compared with that of Quinzani's experimental results detected by laser–doppler velocimetry and flow‐induced birefringence technologies. It shows that the numerical results agree well with the experimental results. The numerical methods proposed in the study can be well used to predict complex flow patterns of viscoelastic fluids. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A boundary element analysis of multiply connected three‐dimensional cavity mixing flow of polymer solutions

The emergence of non‐linear dynamics in cavity mixing is examined using the boundary element method (BEM). The method is implemented for the simulation of three‐dimensional transient creeping flow of Newtonian or linear viscoelastic fluids of the Jeffreys type. A boundary only formulation in the time domain is proposed for viscoelastic flow. Special emphasis is placed on cavity flow involving multiply connected moving domains. The BEM becomes particularly suited for this case, when part of the boundary (stirrer or rotor) is moving, and the remaining outer part (cavity) is at rest. In contrast to conventional volume methods, the BEM is shown to be much easier to implement since the kinematics of the elements bounding the fluid is known (imposed). It is found that, for a simple cavity flow induced by a rotating vane at constant angular velocity, the tractions at the vane tip and cavity face exhibit non‐linear periodic dynamical behaviour with time for fluids obeying linear constitutive equations. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A 2D boundary element method for simulating the deformation of axisymmetric compound non‐Newtonian drops

The boundary integral formulation of the solution to the Stokes equations is used to describe the deformation of small compound non‐Newtonian axisymmetric drops suspended in a Newtonian fluid that is subjected to an axisymmetric flow field. The non‐Newtonian stress is treated as a source term in the Stokes equations, which yields an extra integral over the domains containing non‐Newtonian material. By transforming the integral representation for the velocity to cylindrical co‐ordinates and performing the integration over the azimuthal direction analytically, the dimension of the problem can be reduced from three to two. A boundary element method for the remaining two‐dimensional problem aimed at the simulation of the deformation of such axisymmetric compound non‐Newtonian drops is developed. Apart from a numerical validation of the method, simulation results for a drop consisting of an Oldroyd‐B fluid and a viscoelastic material are presented. Moreover, the method is extended to compound drops that are composed of a viscous inner core encapsulated by a viscoelastic material. The simulation results for these drops are verified against theoretical results from literature. Moreover, it is shown that the method can be used to identify the dominant break‐up mechanism of compound drops in relation to the specific non‐Newtonian character of the membrane. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A promising boundary element formulation for three‐dimensional viscous flow

In this paper, a new set of boundary‐domain integral equations is derived from the continuity and momentum equations for three‐dimensional viscous flows. The primary variables involved in these integral equations are velocity, traction, and pressure. The final system of equations entering the iteration procedure only involves velocities and tractions as unknowns. In the use of the continuity equation, a complex‐variable technique is used to compute the divergence of velocity for internal points, while the traction‐recovery method is adopted for boundary points. Although the derived equations are valid for steady, unsteady, compressible, and incompressible problems, the numerical implementation is only focused on steady incompressible flows. Two commonly cited numerical examples and one practical pipe flow problem are presented to validate the derived equations. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Three‐dimensional effects in dynamically loaded journal bearings

The effects of non‐Newtonian lubricants on the dynamics of a 3D journal bearing are investigated using a moving spectral element method. Comparisons are made with the findings reported for the 2D case. The variation of L/D, the ratio of the length of the bearing to its diameter, is shown to have a significant effect on the stability properties of the journal. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

粘弹性大变形动力响应的有限元分析

本文基于ＴｏｔａｌＬａｇｒａｎｇｉａｎ增量叠加方法，采用Ｋｉｒｃｈｈｏｆｆ应力增量和Ｇｒｅｅｎ应变增量表示的动力虚功方程和Ｋｉｒｃｈｈｏｆｆ应力－Ｇｒｅｅｎ应变的单积分型本构关系，导出粘弹性大变形的动力变分方程。依此采用Ｎｅｗｍａｒｋ法和八节点轴对称等参数元与二十节点三维等参数元编制了轴对称及三维问题的动力响应计算程序，典型例题的计算结果表明分析符合结构的物理性质。     

Three‐dimensional vortex simulation of unsteady flow in hydraulic turbines

On the basis of the Helmholtz decomposition, a grid‐free numerical scheme is provided for the solution of unsteady flow in hydraulic turbines. The Lagrangian vortex method is utilized to evaluate the convection and stretch of the vorticity, and the BEM is used to solve the Neumann problem to define the potential flow. The no‐slip boundary condition is satisfied by generating vortex sticks at the solid surface. A semi‐analytical regularization technique is applied to evaluate the singular boundary surface integrals of the potential velocity and its gradients accurately. The fast multipole method was extended to evaluate the velocity and velocity gradients induced by the discretized vortex blobs in the Lagrangian vortex method. The successful simulation for the unsteady flow through a hydraulic turbine's runner has manifested the effectiveness of the proposed method. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Finite element‐fictitious boundary methods (FEM‐FBM) for 3D particulate flow

In this paper we discuss numerical simulation techniques using a finite element approach in combination with the fictitious boundary method (FBM) for rigid particulate flow configurations in 3D. The flow is computed with a multigrid finite element solver (FEATFLOW), the solid particles are allowed to move freely through the computational mesh which can be static or adaptively aligned by a grid deformation method allowing structured as well as unstructured meshes. We explain the details of how we can use the FBM to simulate flows with complex geometries that are hard to describe analytically. Stationary and time‐dependent numerical examples, demonstrating the use of such geometries are provided. Our numerical results include well‐known benchmark configurations showing that the method can accurately and efficiently handle prototypical particulate flow situations in 3D with particles of different shape and size. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A Lagrangian boundary element approach to transient three‐dimensional free surface flow in thin cavities

The lubrication theory is extended for transient free‐surface flow of a viscous fluid inside a three‐dimensional thin cavity. The problem is closely related to the filling stage during the injection molding process. The pressure, which in this case is governed by the Laplace's equation, is determined using the boundary element method. A fully Lagrangian approach is implemented for the tracking of the evolving free surface. The domain of computation is the projection of the physical domain onto the (x, y) plane. This approach is valid for simple and complex cavities as illustrated for the cases of a flat plate and a curved plate. It is found that the flow behavior is strongly influenced by the shape of the initial fluid domain, the shape of the cavity, and inlet flow pressure. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

激波诱导高速气流中液滴的初期变形

基于激波管平台和高速摄影方法对平面激波诱导高速气流中液滴的早期变形现象进行实验研究。研究发现在相近的We数或Re数下,实验参数的改变可导致液滴形态发展出现显著差异。这种差异主要体现在背风面的脊状环形突起、褶皱区以及后驻点区的凹凸形态。对刚性圆球外流的数值模拟显示,液滴变形早期形态与外流场结构和表面气动力分布之间存在鲜明的对应关系。最后采用简化理论推导出一组估测液滴早期变形的表达式。将数值模拟所得气动力数据代入计算发现:导致液滴变形的主要驱动力是液滴表面不均匀压力的挤压效应,而不是界面剪切摩擦所引起的切向流动堆积效应,前者高出后者约2个数量级;此外,采用压力作用理论计算所得液滴外形在主要变形特征和变形量级上均可与实验图像很好地吻合。     

MOTION AND DEFORMATION OF VISCOUS DROP IN STOKES FLOW NEAR RIGID WALL

A boundary integral method was developed for simulating the motion and deformation of a viscous drop in an axisymmetric ambient Stokes flow near a rigid wall and for direct calculating the stress on the wall. Numerical experiments by the method were performed for different initial stand-off distances of the drop to the wall, viscosity ratios, combined surface tension and buoyancy parameters and ambient flow parameters. Numerical results show that due to the action of ambient flow and buoyancy the drop is compressed and stretched respectively in axial and radial directions when time goes. When the ambient flow action is weaker than that of the buoyancy the drop raises and bends upward and the stress on the wall induced by drop motion decreases when time advances. When the ambient flow action is stronger than that of the buoyancy the drop descends and becomes flatter and flatter as time goes. In this case when the initial stand-off distance is large the stress on the wall increases as the drop evolutes but when the stand-off distance is small the stress on the wall decreases as a result of combined effects of ambient flow, buoyancy and the stronger wall action to the flow. The action of the stress on the wall induced by drop motion is restricted in an area near the symmetric axis, which increases when the initial stand-off distance increases. When the initial stand-off distance increases the stress induced by drop motion decreases substantially. The surface tension effects resist the deformation and smooth the profile of the drop surfaces. The drop viscosity will reduce the deformation and migration of the drop.     

Three‐dimensional flow of an elastico‐viscous fluid with mass transfer

This paper looks at the unsteady three‐dimensional MHD flow of an elastico‐viscous fluid over a stretching surface. The analysis of mass transfer is also analyzed. The governing boundary layer equations are reduced into partial differential equations with three dependent variables through similarity transformations. The transformed system of equations is solved analytically by employing homotopy analysis method (HAM). Plots for various interesting parameters are presented and discussed. Numerical data for surface shear stresses and surface mass transfer in steady case are also tabulated. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fringe element reconstruction for front tracking for three‐dimensional incompressible flow analysis

Fringe element reconstruction technique for tracking the free surface in three‐dimensional incompressible flow analysis was developed. The flow field was calculated by the mixed formulation based on a four‐node tetrahedral element with a bubble function at the centroid (P1+/P1). Since an Eulerian approach was employed in this study, the flow front interface was advected by the flow through a fixed mesh. For accurate modelling of interfacial movement, a fringe element reconstruction method developed can provide not only an accurate treatment of material discontinuity but also surface tension across the interface. The effect of surface tension was modelled by imposing tensile stress directly on the constructed surface elements at the flow front interface. To verify the numerical approach developed, the developed algorithm was applied to two examples whose solutions are available in references. Good agreement was obtained between the simulation results and these solutions. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Time‐dependent finite element simulations of a shear‐thinning viscoelastic fluid with application to blood flow

A new finite element method is developed to simulate time‐dependent viscoelastic shear‐thinning flows characterized by the generalized Oldroyd‐B model. The focus of the algorithm is improved stability through a free‐energy dissipative scheme by using low‐order piecewise‐constant finite element approximations for stress. The algorithm is further modified by incorporating a pressure‐projection method, a DG‐upwinding scheme, a symmetric interior penalty DG method to solve the elliptic pressure‐update equation and a geometric multigrid preconditioner. The improved stability and cost to accuracy is compared when using higher order discontinuous bilinear approximation, where in addition, we consider the influence of a slope limiter for these elements. The algorithm is applied to the 2D start‐up‐driven cavity problem, and the stability of the free energy is illustrated and compared between element choices. An application of the model to modelling blood in small arterioles and channels is considered by simulating pulsatile blood flow through a stenotic arteriole. The individual influences of viscoelasticity and shear‐thinning within the generalized Oldroyd‐B model are investigated by comparing results to the Newtonian, generalized Newtonian and Oldroyd‐B models. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vortex‐in‐cell method combined with a boundary element method for incompressible viscous flow analysis

In this study, an immersed boundary vortex‐in‐cell (VIC) method for simulating the incompressible flow external to two‐dimensional and three‐dimensional bodies is presented. The vorticity transport equation, which is the governing equation of the VIC method, is represented in a Lagrangian form and solved by the vortex blob representation of the flow field. In the present scheme, the treatment of convection and diffusion is based on the classical fractional step algorithm. The rotational component of the velocity is obtained by solving Poisson's equation using an FFT method on a regular Cartesian grid, and the solenoidal component is determined from solving an integral equation using the panel method for the convection term, and the diffusion term is implemented by a particle strength exchange scheme. Both the no‐slip and no‐through flow conditions associated with the surface boundary condition are satisfied by diffusing vortex sheet and distributing singularities on the body, respectively. The present method is distinguished from other methods by the use of the panel method for the enforcement of the no‐through flow condition. The panel method completes making use of the immersed boundary nature inherent in the VIC method and can be also adopted for the calculation of the pressure field. The overall process is parallelized using message passing interface to manage the extensive computational load in the three‐dimensional flow simulations. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.