Finite element analysis of die swell of a highly elastic fluid

A mixed finite element method is applied to the die swell calculation of ana Oldroyd fluid B. The use of large entry lengths together with the presence of the retardation time in the constitutive equations allow us to reach values of the recoverable shear as high as four for the flow emerging from slit and circular dies, with swelling ratios of the order of 2. The numerical results are in good agreement with some available experimental data.