A two-phase diffuse-interface model for Hele-Shaw flows with large property contrasts

A novel two-phase diffuse-interface model is used to simulate flows inside a Hele-Shaw cell. The model assumes that the two phases coexist inside the diffuse interface, with different velocities and properties. A separate equation is used to calculate the slip velocity between the two phases inside the diffuse interface. It is shown that for one-dimensional flows parallel to the diffuse interface, the results are independent of the diffuse-interface width, regardless of the magnitude of the density and viscosity contrasts between the phases. This two-phase approach is coupled with a phase-field equation for calculating the interface motion. The model is applied to a buoyancy-driven two-phase flow involving a Rayleigh-Taylor instability and validated through a comparison with available sharp-interface results. The flows and interface topology changes are investigated for large density and viscosity contrasts between the phases. The convergence of the results with respect to the interface width is examined in detail. It is shown that the two-phase model converges better than a standard diffuse-interface model that assumes the presence of a single velocity inside the diffuse interface. Remaining interface width dependencies can be attributed to the capillary stress term in the momentum equation.     

The effect of magnetic fields on the stability of a cylindrical flow with mass and heat transfer

The effect of axial and radial magnetic fields on the Kelvin-Helmholtz stability of a cylindrical interface between the vapor and liquid phases of a fluid is studied when the vapor is hotter than the liquid and the two phases are enclosed between two cylindrical surfaces coaxial with the interface, and when there is mass and heat transfer across the interface. Both axisymmetric and asymmetric disturbances are considered. The linear dispersion relations are obtained and discussed. It is found that a uniform axial magnetic field has a stabilizing effect on the interface, while the effect of a radial magnetic field depends strongly on the choice of some physical parameters of the system. It is also found that the instability criterion is independent of heat and mass transfer coefficient, but it is different fromthat in the same problem without heat and mass transfer. Finally, the heat and mass transfer has a destabilizing influence on the system.     

Relativistic two-stream instability

We study the (local) propagation of plane waves in a relativistic, non- dissipative, two-fluid system, allowing for a relative velocity in the “background” configuration. The main aim is to analyze relativistic two-stream instability. This instability requires a relative flow—either across an interface or when two or more fluids interpenetrate—and can be triggered, for example, when one-dimensional plane-waves appear to be left-moving with respect to one fluid, but right-moving with respect to another. The dispersion relation of the two-fluid system is studied for different two-fluid equations of state: (i) the “free” (where there is no direct coupling between the fluid densities), (ii) coupled, and (iii) entrained (where the fluid momenta are linear combinations of the velocities) cases are considered in a frame-independent fashion (e.g.no restriction to the rest-frame of either fluid). As a by-product of our analysis we determine the necessary conditions for a two-fluid system to be causal and absolutely stable and establish a new constraint on the entrainment.     

Chemical instability induced by a shear flow

We predict a new type of instability induced by shear flow in chemical systems. A homogeneous steady state solution of a reaction-diffusion system loses stability in a Poiseuille flow. The instability appears as the speed of the flow increases beyond a certain threshold. This results in a steady pattern moving with the average fluid velocity. The chemical reaction consists of two species (activator and inhibitor) moving with identical velocities. Contrary to Turing's instability, the pattern arises when the activator has a higher diffusivity than the inhibitor.     

Linear wave interaction at the charged fluid-fluid interface under tangential discontinuity of the velocity field

Capillary wave flow in a two-layer fluid with the upper layer moving parallel to the charged interface at a constant velocity is treated within a linear mathematical model. Interaction between waves excited on the free surface of the upper layer and at the interface results not only in classical Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (at low velocities of the upper layer) but also in oscillatory instability of the interface. The instability increment depends on the fluid density ratio, translational velocity, and charge density at the interface.     

Surface-driven instability and enhanced relaxation in the dynamics of a nonequilibrium interface

We determine the stability of a nonequilibrium interface between two coexisting solid phases in the presence of a weak external field. Starting at the coarsegrained (Cahn-Hilliard) level, we use the method of matched asymptotics to derive the macroscopic interfacial dynamics. We then show that the external field leads to an instability due to flux along the interface, in contrast with the more common Mullins-Sekerka type instability, which involves fluxes normal to the interface. We also find that the external field produces an important modification of the Gibbs-Thomson relation. With these results, we perform the linear stability analysis for an approximately flat interface. If the field is tangent to the interface, the modification of the Gibbs-Thomson relation is important and the interface is stabilized. If the field is normal to the interface, the surface flux is important, and the effect can be stabilizing or destabilizing, but the orientational dependence is opposite what would be obtained if the Mullins-Sekerka instability dominates. Numerical simulations are performed to study the effect of the surface current and are in agreement with our analytical results.     

Stokes instability in inhomogeneous membranes: application to lipoprotein suction of cholesterol-enriched domains

We examine the time-dependent distortion of a nearly circular viscous domain in an infinite viscous sheet when suction occurs. Suction, the driving force of the instability, can occur everywhere in the two phases separated by an interface. The model assumes a two-dimensional Stokes flow; the selection of the wavelength at short times is determined by a variational procedure. Contrary to the viscous fingering instability, undulations of the boundary may be observed for enough pumping, whatever the sign of the viscosity contrast between the two fluids involved. We apply our model to the suction by lipoproteins of cholesterol-enriched domains in giant unilamellar vesicles. Comparison of the number of undulations given by the model and by the experiments gives reasonable values of physical quantities such as the viscosities of the domains.     

Effect of korteweg stress in miscible liquid two-layer flow in a microfluidic device

Miscible liquid two-layer flow in a Y-shaped microfluidic device, which consists of microchannels with 120 μm in width and 35 μm in depth, is investigated by particle image velocimetry (PIV) to clarify the flow characteristics at fluid interfaces. The obtained velocities with a spatial resolution of 5.9 x 1.5 μm² around the interface between water and ethanol indicate an imbalance in shear stress at interface. The reason of the imbalance is to be the Korteweg stress generated by interfacial tension gradient due to a concentration gradient by diffusion in a miscible two-layer flow. The stress may cause an interfacial instability and destroy a uniform mixing in two flowing fluids in the case of large concentration gradient.     

The instability of streaming fluids with fine dust in porous medium

The instability of the plane interface between two uniform, superposed, and streaming fluids permeated with suspended particles through porous medium is considered. The effect of a uniform horizontal magnetic field on the problem is also studied. In the absence of surface tension, perturbations transverse to the direction of streaming are found to be unaffected by the presence of streaming if perturbations in the direction of streaming are ignored, whereas for perturbations in all other directions there exists instability for a certain wavenumber range. The instability of the system is postponed by the presence of magnetic field. The magnetic field and surface tension are able to suppress this Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for small wavelength perturbations and the medium porosity reduces the stability range given in terms of a difference in streaming velocities and the Alfvén velocity. The suspended particles do not affect the above results.     

Morphological instability induced by the interaction of a particle with a solid-liquid interface

We show that the interaction of a particle with a directionally solidified interface induces the onset of morphological instability provided that the particle-interface distance falls below a critical value. This instability occurs at pulling velocities that are below the threshold for the onset of the Mullins-Sekerka instability. The expression for the critical distance reveals that this instability is manifested only for certain combinations of the physical and processing parameters. Its occurence is attributed to the reversal of the thermal gradient in the melt ahead of the interface and behind the particle.Received: 3 December 2003, Published online: 19 February 2004PACS: 81.30.Fb Solidification - 81.05.Ni Dispersion-, fiber-, and platelet-reinforced metal-based composites - 81.10.Fq Growth from melts; zone melting and refining     

Self-healing slip pulses along a gel/glass interface

We present experimental evidence of self-healing shear cracks at a gel/glass interface. This system exhibits two dynamical regimes depending on the driving velocity: steady sliding at high velocity (>V(c) approximately 100--125 microm/s), characterized by a shear-thinning rheology, and periodic stick-slip dynamics at low velocity. In this last regime, slip occurs by propagation of pulses that restick via a "healing instability" occurring when the local sliding velocity reaches the macroscopic transition velocity V(c). At driving velocities close below V(c), the system exhibits complex spatiotemporal behavior.     

Negative bias-induced threshold voltage instability and zener/interface trapping mechanism in GaN-based MIS-HEMTs

We investigate the instability of threshold voltage in D-mode MIS-HEMT with in-situ SiN as gate dielectric under different negative gate stresses.The complex non-monotonic evolution of threshold voltage under the negative stress and during the recovery process is induced by the combination effect of two mechanisms.The effect of trapping behavior of interface state at SiN/AlGaN interface and the effect of zener traps in AlGaN barrier layer on the threshold voltage instability are opposite to each other.The threshold voltage shifts negatively under the negative stress due to the detrapping of the electrons at SiN/AlGaN interface,and shifts positively due to zener trapping in AlGaN barrier layer.As the stress is removed,the threshold voltage shifts positively for the retrapping of interface states and negatively for the thermal detrapping in AlGaN.However,it is the trapping behavior in the AlGaN rather than the interface state that results in the change of transconductance in the D-mode MIS-HEMT.     

Hydromagnetic instability of streaming fluids in porous medium

The instability of the plane interface between two uniform, superposed, electrically conducting and counter-streaming fluids through a porous medium is considered in the presence of a horizontal magnetic field. In the absence of surface tension, perturbations transverse to the direction of streaming are found to be unaffected by the presence of streaming if perturbations in the direction of streaming are ignored. For perturbations in all other directions there exists instability for a certain wavenumber range. The instability of this system is postponed by the presence of magnetic field. The magnetic field and surface tension are able to suppress this Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for small wavelength perturbations and the medium porosity reduces the stability range given in terms of a difference between the streaming velocities and the Alfvén velocity.This research forms a part of the research project awarded to the first author (R.C.S.) by the University Grants Commission.     

EHD kelvin-helmholtz instability in viscous porous medium permeated with suspended particles

The electrohydrodynamic Kelvin-Helmholtz instability of the plane interface between two uniform, superposed viscous and streaming dielectric fluids permeated with suspended particles through porous medium is considered under the influence of a tangential electric field. In the absence of surface tension, it is found that perturbations transverse to the direction of streaming are unaffected by the presence of both streaming and the tangential electric field, if perturbations in the direction of streaming are ignored. For perturbations in all other directions there exists instability for a certain wavenumber range. In the presence of surface tension, it is found that the instability of this system is suppressed by the presence of the tangential electric field. Both the tangential electric field and the surface tension have stabilizing effects and they are able to suppress Kelvin-Helmholtz instability for small wavelength perturbations. The medium porosity reduces the stability range given in terms of a difference in streaming velocities and the electric field effect, while the suspended particles do not affect the above results.     

Interface coupling effects of weakly nonlinear Rayleigh–Taylor instability with double interfaces

Taking the Rayleigh–Taylor instability with double interfaces as the research object,the interface coupling effects in the weakly nonlinear regime are studied numerically.The variation of Atwood numbers on the two interfaces and the variation of the thickness between them are taken into consideration.It is shown that,when the Atwood number on the lower interface is small,the amplitude of perturbation growth on the lower interface is positively related with the Atwood number on the upper interface.However,it is negatively related when the Atwood number on the lower interface is large.The above phenomenon is quantitatively studied using an analytical formula and the underlying physical mechanism is presented.     

CONVECTIVE INSTABILITY OF A TWO-COMPONENT FLUID-FLUID SYSTEM

The stability of a plane interface of two immiscible liquids(both are finite thickness)with a perpendicular mass transfer is investigated by means of linear stability and energy methods.An analytical formula is derived for the linear stability boundary,whereas the numerical solutions are obtained for boundaries following from both linear and energy analyses. It is concluded that the difference in the chemical potential of.these two phases drives the convective flow and that a threshold Marangoni number existg for the instability to occur. It is also shown that the energy stability boundary does not coincide with that following from the linear analysis,so the subcritical instability is allowed in the region in between.     

Parallel flow in hele-shaw cells with ferrofluids

Parallel flow in a Hele-Shaw cell occurs when two immiscible liquids flow with relative velocity parallel to the interface between them. The interface is unstable due to a Kelvin-Helmholtz type of instability in which fluid flow couples with inertial effects to cause an initial small perturbation to grow. Large amplitude disturbances form stable solitons. We consider the effects of applied magnetic fields when one of the two fluids is a ferrofluid. The dispersion relation governing mode growth is modified so that the magnetic field can destabilize the interface even in the absence of inertial effects. However, the magnetic field does not affect the speed of wave propogation for a given wave number. We note that the magnetic field creates an effective interaction between the solitons.     

耦合界面张力的三维流体界面不稳定性的格子Boltzmann模拟

采用介观格子Boltzmann方法模拟界面张力作用下三维流体界面的Rayleigh-Taylor (RT)不稳定性的增长过程,主要分析表面张力对流体界面动力学行为及尖钉和气泡后期增长的影响机制.首先发现三维RT不稳定性的发生存在临界表面张力(σ_c),其值随着流体Atwood数的增大而增大,且数值预测值与理论分析结果σ_c=(ρ_h-ρ₁)g/k~2一致.另外,随着表面张力的增大,不稳定性演化过程中界面卷吸程度和结构复杂性逐渐减弱,系统中界面破裂形成离散液滴的数目也显著减少.相界面的后期动力学行为也从非对称发展转向始终保持关于中轴线对称.尖钉与气泡振幅在表面张力较小时对其变化不显著,当表面张力增大到一定值后,可以有效地抑制尖钉与气泡振幅的增长.进一步发现,高雷诺数三维RT不稳定性在不同表面张力下均经历4个不同的发展阶段:线性阶段、饱和速度阶段、重加速和混沌混合阶段.尖钉与气泡在饱和速度阶段以近似恒定的速度增长,其渐进速度的值与修正的势流理论模型结果一致.受非线性Kelvin-Helmholtz旋涡的剪切作...     

A Numerical Method on Eulerian Grids for Two-Phase Compressible Flow

We develop a numerical method to simulate a two-phase compressible flow with sharp phase interface on Eulerian grids. The scheme makes use of a level set to depict the phase interface numerically. The overall scheme is basically a finite volume scheme. By approximately solving a two-phase Riemann problem on the phase interface, the normal phase interface velocity and the pressure are obtained, which is used to update the phase interface and calculate the numerical flux between the flows of two different phases. We adopt an aggregation algorithm to build cell patches around the phase interface to remove the numerical instability due to the breakdown of the CFL constraint by the cell fragments given by the phase interface depicted using the level set function. The proposed scheme can handle problems with tangential sliping on the phase interface, topological change of the phase interface and extreme contrast in material parameters in a natural way. Though the perfect conservation of the mass, momentum and energy in global is not achieved, it can be quantitatively identified in what extent the global conservation is spoiled. Some numerical examples are presented to validate the numerical method developed.