Circular Couette flow of concentrated polymer solutions: Encapsulated finitely extendable nonlinear elastic (FENE) dumbbell model results

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The diffusion equation based on the encapsulated FENE model concept is applied to circular Couette flow. In all cases studied, a nonuniform concentration distribution is predicted, decreasing with increasing distance from the inner cylinder. For highly dilute solutions the degree of nonuniformity increases with increasing shear rate and increasing flexibility. For concentrated solutions the data reported in the literature are used. In contrast to earlier tube flow predictions, all the systems studied behave qualitatively in the same way. Up to the limit of vortex formation the theory presented should be valid. The implications of nonuniform concentration profiles for normal stress measurements are outlined.