Reynolds Number Effects in the Flow of a Vočadlo Electrorheological Fluid in a Curved Gap

Abstract

Many electrorheological fluids (ERFs) as fluids with micro-structure demonstrate a non-Newtonian behaviour. Rheometric measurements indicate that some flows of these fluids may by modelled as the flows of a Vočadlo ER fluid. In this paper, the flow of a Vočadlo fluid – with a fractional index of non-linearity – in a narrow gap between two fixed surfaces of revolution with a common axis of symmetry is considered. The flow is externally pressurized and it is considered with inertia effect. In order to solve this problem the boundary layer equations are used. The Reynolds number effects (the effects of inertia forces) on the pressure distribution are examined by using the method of averaged inertia terms of the momentum equation. Numerical examples of externally pressurized flows in the gap between parallel disks and concentric spherical surfaces are presented.