Thermo-fluid dynamics of the unsteady channel flow

Abstract

We present an exact analytical representation of the unsteady thermo-fluid dynamic field arising in a two-dimensional channel with parallel walls for a fluid with constant properties. We assume that the axial pressure gradient is an arbitrary function of time that can be expanded in Taylor series; a particular case is the impulsive motion generated by a sudden jump to a constant value; for large time values the flow reaches the well-known steady Poiseuille solution. As boundary conditions for the dynamic field we consider fixed and moving walls (unsteady Couette flow). The assigned temperature on the walls can be an arbitrary function of time. We also consider the coupling of the energy and momentum equations (i.e. Eckert number different from zero). The solution is obtained by series with simple expressions of the coefficients in terms of the error functions. The fundamental physical parameters, such as shear stress, mass flow and heat flux at the wall are obtained in explicit analytical form and discussed by means of their diagrams.