Nonisothermal two‐ and three‐dimensional flow simulations of inelastic and viscoelastic fluids by a finite‐volume method

This paper applies the finite‐volume method to computations of steady flows of viscous and viscoelastic incompressible fluids in complex two and three‐dimensional geometries. The materials adopted in the study obey different constitutive laws: Newtonian, purely viscous Carreau–Yasuda as also Upper‐Convected Maxwell and Phan‐Thien/Tanner differential models, with a Williams–Landel–Ferry (WLF) equation for temperature dependence. Specific analyses are made depending on the rheological model. A staggered grid is used for discretizing the equations and unknowns. Stockage possibilities allow us to solve problems involving a great number of degrees of freedom, up to 1 500 000 unknowns with a desk computer. In relation to the fluid properties, our numerical simulations provide flow characteristics for various 2D and 3D configurations and demonstrate the possibilities of the code to solve problems involving complex nonlinear constitutive equations with thermal effects. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.