NUMERICAL-SIMULATION OF VISCOELASTIC FLOW IN 2-DIMENSIONAL L-SHAPED CHANNELS

Numerical simulation of the flow of a White-Metzner type liquid in two-dimensional L-shaped channels has been carried out using the finite difference technique. Results are compared with experimental data obtained in previous work. Numerical predictions are in agreement with the experiment for velocity and pressure distributions. Further considerations are given to streamlines and stress component profiles. A streamline shift toward the outer wall accompanied by reverse flow occurs in the upstream vicinity of the re-entrant comer. It is shown that the fluid is subjected to stretching near the re-entrant comer, where reversal of flow occurs. Effects of inertia and elasticity are addressed by presenting the size of the reverse flow region. Elasticity has the effect of increasing its size, which is opposite to an inertial effect.