Modeling of flow in a very small surface separation

Abstract

When a fluid flows in a very small surface separation, the very thin boundary layer physically adhering to the solid surface will participate in the flow, while between the two boundary layers is a continuum fluid flow. An analysis is here presented for this multiscale flow. The continuum fluid is treated as Newtonian. The physical adsorbed boundary layer is treated as non-continuum across the layer thickness. The interfacial slippage can occur on the adsorbed layer-solid surface interface, while it is absent on the adsorbed layer-fluid interface. Three flow equations are derived respectively for the two adsorbed layers and the intermediate continuum fluid. They together govern the multiscale flow in such a small surface separation.