A case study on the evolution of rigid zones within the permanent two-dimensional Herschel-Bulkley fluid flow

Abstract

The formation and development of undeformed regions during the flow of viscoplastic fluids can significantly affect fluid flow behaviour. They can impair the efficiency and effectiveness of industrial operations that use viscoplastic fluids. This paper uses numerical analysis to examine the emergence of rigid zones during non-stationary Herschel-Bulkley fluid flow across a square plate. The impact of pressure and yield stress on the behaviour of rigid zones over time is explored, and the development of the rigid zone area is shown. This work produced mathematical correlations that describe the relationship between the area of rigid zones and both the time of flow and the yield stress, as well as the area of rigid zones and the stagnation time.