An experimental investigation of upstream flow characteristics of viscoelastic fluids in an annular die entry

Flow behaviour of viscoelastic polymer solutions on the upstream side of an annular die entry has been experimentally investigated and compared with published results on entry flow in circular die. Stable and unstable flow patterns were observed depending on the magnitudes of Reynolds and elasticity numbers. The latter number represents the relative effects of elastic and inertial forces. The stable flow region consists of an elasticity-controlled vortex growth regime and an inertia-controlled divergent flow regime. These two flow regimes have also been observed in circular entry flow. The criteria for the onset of flow instability in an annulus, based on the maximum vortex size, agree qualitatively with various criteria proposed for polymer metls and solutions in circular entry flow. The unstable flow patterns revealed a two-stage instability with a metastable region in between. The first-stage instability is characterised by low frequency disruption of the stationary vortex; while the second-stage instability, which occurs at high Reynolds numbers, is characterised by high frequency random distortion of the flow field.