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The falling sphere problem and capturing enhanced drag with Boger fluids

I.E. Garduño, H.R. Tamaddon-Jahromi, M.F. Webster, Michael Webster Orcid Logo, Hamid Tamaddon-Jahromi

Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics, Volume: 231, Pages: 26 - 48

Swansea University Authors: Michael Webster Orcid Logo, Hamid Tamaddon-Jahromi

Abstract

In this computational study, the ability of an extensional White–Metzner construction with the FENE-CR model is considered to reflect experimental enhanced drag data of Jones et al. [1]. The numerical drag predictions for three different aspect ratios of sphere:tube radii {0.5, 0.4, 0.2} are obtaine...

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Published in: Journal of Non-Newtonian Fluid Mechanics
ISSN: 0377-0257
Published: 2016
Online Access: Check full text

URI: https://cronfa.swan.ac.uk/Record/cronfa26749
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Abstract: In this computational study, the ability of an extensional White–Metzner construction with the FENE-CR model is considered to reflect experimental enhanced drag data of Jones et al. [1]. The numerical drag predictions for three different aspect ratios of sphere:tube radii {0.5, 0.4, 0.2} are obtained with a hybrid finite element/volume (fe/fv) algorithm. Excellent agreement is extracted for all three aspect ratios against the experimental measurements, and at any specified rate, the tighter-fitting the aspect ratio the lower the resulting drag. Moreover, as the Weissenberg number is increased, the transition between steady-state and oscillatory flow is recognised from the instantaneous pressure data, prior to numerical divergence. A main realisation in this study is that it is important to select the same procedure of Wi-continuation across experimental and computational protocols, to extract comparable levels of drag. Clearly the -increase mode (common computational form), is more involved than the Q-increase mode (usual experimental form), and as such, less robust as a reliable method for accurate drag prediction and enhanced drag capture. In general, flow-rate increase (Q-increase) conditions generate larger drag enhancement, when compared to fluid-relaxation time increase ( -increase), at comparable levels of dissipative-factor ( ). The investigation also follows parametric variation in solvent fraction ( ) in one particular geometric aspect-ratio instance. This reveals that at any specific fixed elasticity level, there is an increase in drag observed with rise in . In addition, high solute/low-solvent fractions at low dissipative-factor, were only found to generate drag reduction, consistent with the literature. New and key facets to this fe/fv implementation are summarised, in appealing to: an improved velocity gradient boundary conditions imposed at the centreline (VGR-correction); continuity correction; absolute value of the stress-trace function (ABS-f-correction); increasing flow-rate solution continuation; alongside advanced techniques in fv-time discretisation, discrete treatment of pressure terms, and compatible stress/velocity-gradient representation.
Keywords: Viscoelastic fluid; FENE-CR; Extensional White-Metzner model (swanINNFM); Flow past a sphere; Drag coefficient
College: Faculty of Science and Engineering
Start Page: 26
End Page: 48