Non-Newtonian Hele-Shaw Flow and the Saffman-Taylor Instability

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 EST 1998 · Physical Review Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.80.1433· OSTI ID:591839

Kondic, L; Shelley, M J ^[1]; Palffy-Muhoray, P ^[2]

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1. Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences, New York University, New York, New York 10012 (United States)
2. Liquid Crystal Institute, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio 44242 (United States)

We explore the Saffman-Taylor instability of a gas bubble expanding into a shear thinning liquid in a radial Hele-Shaw cell. Using Darcy{close_quote}s law generalized for non-Newtonian fluids, we perform simulations of the full dynamical problem. The simulations show that shear thinning significantly influences the developing interfacial patterns. Shear thinning can suppress tip splitting, and produce fingers which oscillate during growth and shed side branches. Emergent length scales show reasonable agreement with a general linear stability analysis. {copyright} {ital 1998} {ital The American Physical Society}

• DOE Contract Number: FG02-88ER25053
• OSTI ID: 591839
• Journal Information: Physical Review Letters, Vol. 80, Issue 7; Other Information: PBD: Feb 1998
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
BUBBLE GROWTH
LIQUIDS
INSTABILITY
SIMULATION
SHEAR
OSCILLATIONS
DARCY LAW