An experimental investigation of negative wakes behind spheres settling in a shear-thinning viscoelastic fluid

We present detailed experimental results examining “negative wakes” behind spheres settling along the centerline of a tube containing a viscoelastic aqueous polyacrylamide solution. Negative wakes are found for all Deborah numbers (2.43≤De(˙γ)≤8.75) and sphere-to-tube aspect ratios (0.060≤a/R≤0.396) examined. The wake structures are investigated using laser-Doppler velocimetry (LDV) to examine the centerline fluid velocity around the sphere and digital particle image velocimetry (DPIV) for full-field velocity profiles. For a fixed aspect ratio, the magnitude of the most negative velocity, U _min , in the wake is seen to increase with increasing De. Additionally, as the Deborah number becomes larger, the location of this minimum velocity shifts farther downstream. When normalized with the sphere radius and the steady state velocity of the sphere, the axial velocity profiles become self-similar to the point of the minimum velocity. Beyond this point, the wake structure varies weakly with aspect ratio and De, and it extends more than 20 radii downstream. Inertial effects at high Reynolds numbers are observed to shift the entire negative wake farther downstream. Using DPIV to investigate the transient kinematic response of the fluid to the initial acceleration of the sphere from rest, it is seen that the wake develops from the nonlinear fluid response at large strains. Measurements of the transient uniaxial extensional viscosity of this weakly strain-hardening fluid using a filament stretching rheometer show that the existence of a negative wake is consistent with theoretical arguments based on the opposing roles of extensional stresses and shearing stresses in the wake of the sphere. Received: 10 November 1997 Accepted: 1 May 1998     

A Rheological Study of Xanthan Polymer for Enhanced Oil Recovery

This study explored the potential application of xanthan gum as a polymer-flooding agent for oil recovery applications in a specific Devonian oil field. Rheological measurements using oscillatory and steady shear were carried out to examine the change in shear viscosity when the polymer was applied under reservoir conditions. The xanthan rheological properties were described by the Herschel–Bulkley and Ostwald models to characterize its non-Newtonian behavior. As expected, the results showed that higher xanthan concentrations raised the polymer viscosity and increased the degree of shear thinning. Addition of alkalis caused the viscosity of the xanthan solutions to decrease, but they maintained their shear-thinning properties. Polymer solutions in typical oil field brine increased in viscosity by ca. 400% for 720 hours storage time. On the other hand, as expected, the solutions lost their viscosity gradually with increasing temperature. However, at reservoir temperature (68°C), the polymer solutions kept more than 60% of their initial viscosity. In oscillatory deformation tests it was observed that all the measured viscoelastic properties were influenced by temperature and confirmed that xanthan solution behaved as a weak-gel. An order-disorder transition exists within the xanthan-brine solutions which responds to changes in solution concentration, temperature and alkalis.     

THE UNIQUE PROPERTIES OF THE SOLID-LIKE CONFINED LIQUID FILMS:A LARGE SCALE MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATION APPROACH

The properties of the confined liquid are dramatically different from those of the bulk state, which were reviewed in the present work. We performed large-scale molecular dynamics simulations and full-atom nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the shear response of the confined simple liquid as well as the n-hexadecane ultrathin films. The shear viscosity of the confined simple liquid increases with the decrease of the film thickness. Apart from the well-known ordered structure, the confined n-hexadecane exhibited a transition from 7 layers to 6 in our simulations while undergoing an increasing shear velocity. Various slip regimes of the confined n-hexadecane were obtained. Viscosity coefficients of individual layers were examined and the results revealed that the local viscosity coefficient varies with the distance from the wall. The individual n-hexadecane layers showed the shear-thinning behaviors which can be correlated with the occurrence of the slip. This study aimed at elucidating the detailed shear response of the confined liquid and may be used in the design and application of micro- and nano-devices.     

Aqueous solution behavior of new thermoassociative polymers

A new kind of water-soluble polymer was obtained by grafting side chains, characterized by a phase separation on heating (Lower Critical Solution Temperature LCST), on a hydrosoluble backbone. For semidilute solutions, the side chains associate as the temperature exceeds a critical temperature (T _ass), which is close to their LCST. Microdomains are formed which act like physical crosslinking units between the main chains, and an increase in the aqueous solution viscosity is observed. Systems based on 2-Acrylamido-2-methyl propane sulfonic acid (AMPS) backbone and polyethylene oxide (PEO) side chains were developed. Their rheological behavior in both dilute and semi-dilute states was studied by varying differents parameters such as polymer and salt concentrations, grafting ratio, etc. Fluorescence measurements indicate the formation of hydrophobic microdomains on heating, in agreement with the thickening properties of the solutions.     

Flow of a shear-thinning liquid in a cylindrical container with a rotating end wall

The flow patterns produced by rotating one end wall of a circular cylinder completely filled with a strongly shear-thinning viscoelastic liquid have been investigated using the laser-induced fluorescence flow visualization technique. An intense toroidal vortex is produced in the vicinity of the rotating end wall with outward spiraling flow over the end wall itself. This vortex drives a second countercirculating vortex of low intensity in the region of the stationary end wall. Under some circumstances an axial jet of fluid is observed moving away from the rotating end wall. This jet showed evidence of instability, whereas all flows were otherwise completely steady. The double-vortex structure is different from those recently observed in either a Newtonian or slightly shear-thinning liquid or in the low Reynolds number flow of an elastic liquid. There are, however, similarities with older work for a viscoelastic liquid at relatively high Reynolds numbers. The observations highlight the suitability of the cylinder/rotating end wall configuration as a sensitive test case for computational work.     

Bowlic and Polar Liquid Crystal Polymers

Bowlic liquid crystals are made up of polar molecules. Both main-chain and side-chain bowlic polymers are possible. Exactly solvable discrete models describing the phases and conformations of these bowlic and other polar liquid crystal polymers are presented. For the ideal one-dimensional case the model is equivalent to the 1D Ising model. Susceptibility and other properties are calculated. Wave propagation and solitons in these polar polymers are discussed. Possible highly conducting and high T_c superconducting liquid crystal polymers are proposed.     

Rheological studies of coal-oil mixtures

Summary Samples of stable coal-oil mixtures were prepared with coal concentrations ranging from 30–50% by weight. Extensive rheological data were obtained using capillary and cone-plate viscometers for samples of coal-oil mixtures and fuel-oil which served as a reference fluid. Viscosity measurements show coal-oil mixtures to be shear-thinning suspensions, i.e., the viscosity decreases moderately with increasing shear rates. In the concentration range of 30–40% coal, the coal-oil mixture shows a predominantly Newtonian behavior. For mixtures with coal concentrations higher than 40%, a yield point was observed. The study of these samples with the rotating-rod viscometer indicated a migration of coal particles away from the rotating rod with no noticeable rod climbing, thus no evidence of normal stress effects. The rheological data can be represented by any of the three two-parameter models: Power Law, Bingham Plastic, or Casson, with the last two models being more realistic and consistent with the observations.With 9 figures     

Numerical simulation of 3d viscous fluid flow and convective mixing in a static mixer

Summary The paper deals with a hybrid method to simulate mixing processes of highly viscous single-phase shear-thinning liquids. A static mixer of SMX type is chosen for demonstration. In the first place, low Reynolds number flow is computed at different values of rheological parameters, considering periodicity and several geometrical and physical symmetries of the flow problem. The dynamical system of particle motion is treated, which turns out to be chaotic. With a large number of streak lines, Poincaré sections at different positions along the mixing element are made up, which gives a detailed insight into the mixing mechanism. Statistical quantities are extracted, which are suitable for a rating of the mixing quality. Received 12 April 1999; accepted for publication 30 May 1999     

Gelation and yielding behavior of polymer–nanoparticle hydrogels

Polymer–nanoparticle hydrogels are a unique class of self-assembled, shear-thinning, yield-stress fluids that have demonstrated potential utility in many impactful applications. Here, we present a thorough analysis of the gelation and yielding behavior of these materials with respect to the polymer and nanoparticle component stoichiometry. Through comprehensive rheological and diffusion studies, we reveal insights into the structural dynamics of the polymer nanoparticle network that identify that stoichiometry plays a key role in gelation and yielding, ultimately enabling the development of hydrogel formulations with unique shear-thinning and yield-stress behaviors. Access to these materials opens new doors for interesting applications in a variety of fields including tissue engineering, drug delivery, and controlled solution viscosity.     

润滑油密度与黏度关系的进一步探讨及定量广义牛顿热弹流数值分析

基于"同一油品相同的密度对应相同的黏度"这一假说,本文作者将最近提出的在等温条件下由密度求黏度的计算公式推广到热条件之下并进行了进一步的理论探讨.通过引入广义黏度,把润滑油的Eyring流动处理为广义牛顿流动,进而对由squalane油润滑的点接触副在不同赫兹接触压力和卷吸速度下,在滑滚比宽广的变化范围内开展了定量的热弹流数值仿真.仿真得到的摩擦系数与试验结果良好的吻合程度不但证实了作者的由密度求黏度公式在热条件下仍然准确,同时也证实了所用的密度与黏度关系假说的合理性.在比较新黏度公式与Barus、Roelands和Doolittle黏度公式所得数值仿真结果时,提出了一种不需要黏温系数而得到热条件下润滑油黏度值的算法,并用之得到了合理的广义牛顿热弹流解.