Effect of Wind Stress on the Dynamics and Stability of Nonisothermal Power-Law Film down an Inclined Plane

Abstract

Dynamics and stability of a nonisothermal power-law liquid film down an inclined plane is considered in the presence of interfacial shear. Linear stability characteristics of the power-law liquid film using normal mode approach reveal that isothermal and evaporating films are unstable for any value of power-law index while there exists a critical value of power-law index for the case of condensate film above which condensate film ow system is always stable. This critical value of power-law index increases with the increase in shear stress at the interface. Weakly nonlinear stability analysis using method of multiple scales divulges the existence of zones due to supercritical stability and subcritical instability. The nonlinear evolution equation is solved numerically in a periodic domain. The results reveal that (1) for an isothermal dilatant (pseudoplastic) liquids, the maximum wave amplitude is always smaller (larger) than that for a Newtonian liquid and the amplitude of permanent wave increases with the increase in interfacial shear; (2) condensation of pseudoplastic film happens for the earlier instant of time when the phase change parameter increases and the effect of interfacial shear makes the film more corrugated; (3) dilatant (pseudoplastic) evaporating liquid film attains rupture faster (slower) than that of Newtonian liquid film, and the interfacial shear does not influence the time at which rupture occurs.