H.M. Thompson

Gravity-driven flow of continuous thin liquid films on non-porous substrates with topography

A range of two- and three-dimensional problems is explored featuring the gravity-driven flow of a continuous thin liquid film over a non-porous inclined flat surface containing well-defined topography. These are analysed principally within the framework of the lubrication approximation, where accurate numerical solution of the governing nonlinear equations is achieved using an efficient multigrid solver. Results for flow over one-dimensional steep-sided topographies are shown to be in very good agreement with previously reported data. The accuracy of the lubrication approximation in the context of such topographies is assessed and quantified by comparison with finite element solutions of the full Navier–Stokes equations, and results support the consensus that lubrication theory provides an accurate description of these flows even when its inherent assumptions are not strictly satisfied. The Navier–Stokes solutions also illustrate the effect of inertia on the capillary ridge/trough and the two-dimensional flow structures caused by steep topography. Solutions obtained for flow over localized topography are shown to be in excellent agreement with the recent experimental results of Decre & Baret (2003) for the motion of thin water films over finite trenches. The spread of the ‘bow wave’, as measured by the positions of spanwise local extrema in free-surface height, is shown to be well-represented both upstream and downstream of the topography by an inverse hyperbolic cosine function. An explanation, in terms of local flow rate, is given for the presence of the ‘downstream surge’ following square trenches, and its evolution as trench aspect ratio is increased is discussed. Unlike the upstream capillary ridge, this feature cannot be completely suppressed by increasing the normal component of gravity. The linearity of free-surface response to topographies is explored by superposition of the free surfaces corresponding to two ‘equal-but-opposite’ topographies. Results confirm the findings of Decre & Baret (2003) that, under the conditions considered, the responses behave in a near-linear fashion.

Modelling and analysis of meniscus roll coating

Three mathematical models are developed for meniscus roll coating in which there is steady flow of a Newtonian fluid in the narrow gap, or nip, between two contra-rotating rolls in the absence of body forces. The zero flux model predicts a constant pressure gradient within the central core and two eddies, each with an inner structure, in qualitative agreement with observation. The small flux model takes account of a small inlet flux and employs the lubrication approximation to represent fluid velocity as a combination of Couette and Poiseuille flows. Results show that the meniscus coating regime is characterized by small flow rates (λ<<1) and a sub-ambient pressure field generated by capillary action at the upstream meniscus. Such flows are found to exist for small modified capillary number, Ca(R/H 0 ) 1/2 ≤ 0.15, where Ca and R/H 0 represent capillary number and the radius to semi-gap ratio, respectively. A third model incorporates the full effects of curved menisci and nonlinear free surface boundary conditions. The presence of a dynamic contact line, adjacent to the web on the upper roll, requires the imposition of an apparent contact angle and slip length.

Competing geometric and inertial effects on local flow structure in thick gravity-driven fluid films

The formation and presence of eddies within thick gravity-driven free-surface film flow over a corrugated substrate are considered, with the governing equations solved semianalytically using a complex variable method for Stokes flow and numerically via a full finite element formulation for the more general problem when inertia is significant. The effect of varying geometry (involving changes in the film thickness or the amplitude and wavelength of the substrate) and inertia is explored separately. For Stokes-like flow and varying geometry, excellent agreement is found between prediction and existing flow visualizations and measured eddy center locations associated with the switch from attached to locally detached flow. It is argued that an appropriate measure of the influence of inertia at the substrate is in terms of a local Reynolds number based on the characteristic corrugation length scale. Since, for small local Reynolds numbers, the local flow structure there becomes effectively decoupled from the i...

Flow of evaporating, gravity-driven thin liquid films over topography

The effect of topography on the free surface and solvent concentration profiles of an evaporating thin film of liquid flowing down an inclined plane is considered. The liquid is assumed to be composed of a resin dissolved in a volatile solvent with the associated solvent concentration equation derived on the basis of the well-mixed approximation. The dynamics of the film is formulated as a lubrication approximation and the effect of a composition-dependent viscosity is included in the model. The resulting time-dependent, nonlinear, coupled set of governing equations is solved using a full approximation storage multigrid method. The approach is first validated against a closed-form analytical solution for the case of a gravity-driven, evaporating thin film flowing down a flat substrate. Analysis of the results for a range of topography shapes reveal that although a full-width, spanwise topography such as a step-up or a step-down does not affect the composition of the film, the same is no longer true for th...

Creeping flow analyses of free surface cavity flows

Two industrially important free surface flows arising in polymer processing and thin film coating applications are modelled as lid-driven cavity problems to which a creeping flow analysis is applied. Each is formulated as a biharmonic boundary-value problem and solved both analytically and numerically. The analytical solutions take the form of a truncated biharmonic series of eigenfunctions for the streamfunction, while numerical results are obtained using a linear, finite-element formulation of the governing equations written in terms of both the streamfunction and vorticity. A key feature of the latter is that problems associated with singularities are alleviated by expanding the solution there in a series of separated eigenfunctions. Both sets of results are found to be in extremely good agreement and reveal distinctive flow transformations that occur as the operating parameters are varied. They also compare well with other published work and experimental observation.

Stokes flow in closed, rectangular domains

Abstract Three practically relevant, Stokes flows in closed, rectangular cavities are considered. The first involves a solid-walled cavity where flow is driven by the motion of either one or both of its horizontal bounding walls; the other two have an upper free surface and are driven either by the motion of vertical side walls or by a horizontally-moving lower wall. Each problem is formulated as a biharmonic boundary value problem (bvp) for the streamfunction. The relative merits of two different coefficient determination methods for the corresponding analytical solutions are assessed and, in addition, each solution is compared with its numerical counterpart obtained using a finite element formulation of the governing equations. It is shown that, provided the number N of terms in each solution is sufficiently large, they are in extremely good agreement and, similarly, they compare well with work from other published theoretical and experimental studies. Streamlines are presented, over a wide range of operating parameters, for the geometries containing an upper free surface. For the flow generated by two moving vertical side walls two flow transformation mechanisms are identified. For cavities with small and decreasing width to depth (aspect) ratios, there is a sequence of critical aspect ratios at which flow bifurcations arise with a centre becoming a saddle point and vice versa, whereas for large aspect ratios increasing the ratio further leads to eddy growth from the lower wall, resulting in a regular sequence of separatrices along the cavity width. In the case of flow generated by a horizontally-moving lower wall the streamlines are simpler and exhibit the regular array of separatrices reported previously for flow in a solid-walled cavity with a single moving wall.

Recent advances in computational fluid dynamics relevant to the modelling of pesticide flow on leaf surfaces

Increasing societal and governmental concern about the worldwide use of chemical pesticides is now providing strong drivers towards maximising the efficiency of pesticide utilisation and the development of alternative control techniques. There is growing recognition that the ultimate goal of achieving efficient and sustainable pesticide usage will require greater understanding of the fluid mechanical mechanisms governing the delivery to, and spreading of, pesticide droplets on target surfaces such as leaves. This has led to increasing use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) as an important component of efficient process design with regard to pesticide delivery to the leaf surface. This perspective highlights recent advances in CFD methods for droplet spreading and film flows, which have the potential to provide accurate, predictive models for pesticide flow on leaf surfaces, and which can take account of each of the key influences of surface topography and chemistry, initial spray deposition conditions, evaporation and multiple droplet spreading interactions. The mathematical framework of these CFD methods is described briefly, and a series of new flow simulation results relevant to pesticide flows over foliage is provided. The potential benefits of employing CFD for practical process design are also discussed briefly.

Eddy genesis and manipulation in plane laminar shear flow

Eddy formation and presence in a plane laminar shear flow configuration consisting of two infinitely long plates orientated parallel to each other is investigated theoretically. The upper plate, which is planar, drives the flow; the lower one has a sinusoidal profile and is fixed. The governing equations are solved via a full finite element formulation for the general case and semianalytically at the Stokes flow limit. The effects of varying geometry (involving changes in the mean plate separation or the amplitude and wavelength of the lower plate) and inertia are explored separately. For Stokes flow and varying geometry, excellent agreement between the two methods of solution is found. Of particular interest with regard to the flow structure is the importance of the clearance that exists between the upper plate and the tops of the corrugations forming the lower one. When the clearance is large, an eddy is only present at sufficiently large amplitudes or small wavelengths. However, as the plate clearance ...

A theoretical and experimental investigation of reservoir-fed, rigid-roll coating

An industrially-important variant of reverse roll coating is studied in which the metering gap sits beneath a large, liquid reservoir, the influence of which is investigated via complimentary experimental, analytical (lubrication) and computational (finite element) methods, and for which gravitational effects are shown to be influential. Experimental measurements for both the flow rate and wetting line position are given over a wide range of roll speed ratio and capillary number and it is shown that, provided the wetting line is sufficiently far from the nip, the flow rate depends linearly on the reservoir level. A key feature of the mathematical models is that, unlike previous reverse roll coating studies, the variation of dynamic contact angle with metering roll speed has been accounted for. The lubrication model also uses boundary conditions which incorporate free surface, surface tension and wetting line effects and the predictions from both models are found to be in generally good agreement with experiment. Finally, streamlines obtained from Finite Element solutions of the flow in the reservoir and wetting line regions are found to compare well with corresponding experimental flow visualisations. The flow in the reservoir is recirculating in nature, the size and number of recirculations depending on the reservoir geometry.

A Combined Experimental and Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of the Dynamics of Drop Formation

Abstract This article presents a complementary experimental and computational investigation of the effect of viscosity and flowrate on the dynamics of drop formation in the dripping mode. In contrast to previous studies, numerical simulations are performed with two popular commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) packages, CFX and FLOW-3D, both of which employ the volume of fluid (VOF) method. Comparison with previously published experimental and computational data and new experimental results reported here highlight the capabilities and limitations of the aforementioned packages.