Finite Volume Method for Simulation of Viscoelastic Flow Through a Expansion Channel

A finite volume method for the numerical solution of viscoelastic flows is given. The flow of a differential Upper-Convected Maxwell (UCM) fluid through an abrupt expansion has been chosen as a prototype example. The conservation and constitutive equations are solved using the Finite Volume Method (FVM) in a staggered grid with an upwind scheme for the viscoelastic stresses and a hybrid scheme for the velocities. An enhanced-in-speed pressure-correction algorithm is used and a method for handling the source term in the momentum equations is employed. Improved accuracy is achieved by a special discretization of the boundary conditions. Stable solutions are obtained for higher Weissenberg number (We), further extending the range of simulations with the FVM. Numerical results show the viscoelasticity of polymer solutions is the main factor influencing the sweep efficiency.