No Arabic abstract
The need to develop models to predict the motion of microrobots, or robots of a much smaller scale, moving in fluids in a low Reynolds number regime, and in particular, in non Newtonian fluids, cannot be understated. The article develops a Lagrangian based model for one such mechanism - a two-link mechanism termed a microscallop, moving in a low Reynolds number environment in a non Newtonian fluid. The modelling proceeds through the conventional Lagrangian construction for a two-link mechanism and then goes on to model the external fluid forces using empirically based models for viscosity to complete the dynamic model. The derived model is then simulated for different initial conditions and key parameters of the non Newtonian fluid, and the results are corroborated with a few existing experimental results on a similar mechanism under identical conditions. Lastly, with a view to implementing control algorithms we explore accessibility of the system at certain configurations.
Exact solutions for laminar stratified flows of Newtonian/non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluids in horizontal and inclined channels are presented. An iterative algorithm is proposed to compute the laminar solution for the general case of a Carreau non-Newtonian fluid. The exact solution is used to study the effect of the rheology of the shear-thinning liquid on two-phase flow characteristics considering both gas/liquid and liquid/liquid systems. Concurrent and counter-current inclined systems are investigated, including the mapping of multiple solution boundaries. Aspects relevant to practical applications are discussed, such as the insitu hold-up, or lubrication effects achieved by adding a less viscous phase. A characteristic of this family of systems is that, even if the liquid has a complex rheology (Carreau fluid), the two-phase stratified flow can behave like the liquid is Newtonian for a wide range of operational conditions. The capability of the two-fluid model to yield satisfactory predictions in the presence of shear-thinning liquids is tested, and an algorithm is proposed to a priori predict if the Newtonian (zero shear rate viscosity) behaviour arises for a given operational conditions in order to avoid large errors in the predictions of flow characteristics when the power-law is considered for modelling the shear-thinning behaviour. Two-fluid model closures implied by the exact solution and the effect of a turbulent gas layer are also addressed.
Linear stability of horizontal and inclined stratified channel flows of Newtonian/non-Newtonian shear-thinning fluids is investigated with respect to all wavelength perturbations. The Carreau model has been chosen for the modeling of the rheology of a shear-thinning fluid, owing to its capability to describe properly the constant viscosity limits (Newtonian behavior) at low and high shear rates. The results are presented in the form of stability boundaries on flow pattern maps (with the phases superficial velocities as coordinates) for several practically important gas-liquid and liquid-liquid systems. The stability maps are accompanied by spatial profiles of the critical perturbations, along with the distributions of the effective and tangent viscosities in the non-Newtonian layer, to show the influence of the complex rheological behavior of shear-thinning liquids on the mechanisms responsible for triggering instability. Due to the complexity of the considered problem, a working methodology is proposed to alleviate the search for the stability boundary. Implementation of the proposed methodology helps to reveal that in many cases the investigation of the simpler Newtonian problem is sufficient for the prediction of the exact (non-Newtonian) stability boundary of smooth stratified flow (i.e., in case of horizontal gas-liquid flow). Therefore, the knowledge gained from the stability analysis of Newtonian fluids is applicable to those (usually highly viscous) non-Newtonian systems. Since the stability of stratified flow involving highly viscous Newtonian liquids has not been researched in the literature, interesting findings on the viscosity effects are also obtained.
This paper extends the derivation of the Lagrangian averaged Euler (LAE-$alpha$) equations to the case of barotropic compressible flows. The aim of Lagrangian averaging is to regularize the compressible Euler equations by adding dispersion instead of artificial viscosity. Along the way, the derivation of the isotropic and anisotropic LAE-$alpha$ equations is simplified and clarified. The derivation in this paper involves averaging over a tube of trajectories $eta^epsilon$ centered around a given Lagrangian flow $eta$. With this tube framework, the Lagrangian averaged Euler (LAE-$alpha$) equations are derived by following a simple procedure: start with a given action, Taylor expand in terms of small-scale fluid fluctuations $xi$, truncate, average, and then model those terms that are nonlinear functions of $xi$. Closure of the equations is provided through the use of emph{flow rules}, which prescribe the evolution of the fluctuations along the mean flow.
In this work we consider theoretically the problem of a Newtonian droplet moving in an otherwise quiescent infinite viscoelastic fluid under the influence of an externally applied temperature gradient. The outer fluid is modelled by the Oldroyd-B equation, and the problem is solved for small Weissenberg and Capillary numbers in terms of a double perturbation expansion. We assume microgravity conditions and neglect the convective transport of energy and momentum. We derive expressions for the droplet migration speed and its shape in terms of the properties of both fluids. In the absence of shape deformation, the droplet speed decreases monotonically for sufficiently viscous inner fluids, while for fluids with a smaller inner-to-outer viscosity ratio, the droplet speed first increases and then decreases as a function of the Weissenberg number. For small but finite values of the Capillary number, the droplet speed behaves monotonically as a function of the applied temperature gradient for a fixed ratio of the Capillary and Weissenberg numbers. We demonstrate that this behaviour is related to the polymeric stresses deforming the droplet in the direction of its migration, while the associated changes in its speed are Newtonian in nature, being related to a change in the droplets hydrodynamic resistance and its internal temperature distribution. When compared to the results of numerical simulations, our theory exhibits a good predictive power for sufficiently small values of the Capillary and Weissenberg numbers.
The cavitation behaviour of a four-blade rocket engine turbopump inducer is simulated. A 2D numerical model of unsteady cavitation was applied to a blade cascade drawn fromthe inducer geometry. The physical model is based on a homogeneous approach of cavitation, coupled with a barotropic state law for the liquid/vapour mixture. The numericalresolution uses a pressure-correction method derived from the SIMPLE algorithm and a finite volume discretization. Unsteadybehaviour of sheet cavities attached to the blade suction side depends on the flow rate and cavitation number. Two differentunstable configurations of rotating cavitation, respectively sub-synchronous and super-synchronous, are identified. The mechanisms that are responsible for these unstable behaviours are discussed, and the stress fluctuations induced on the blade by the rotating cavitation are estimated.