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An experimental and simulation comparison of a 3-D abrupt contraction flow using the Molecular Stress Function constitutive model
Olley, Peter Spares, R. Coates, Philip D.
Olley, Peter
Spares, R.
Coates, Philip D.
Publication Date
2021
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© 2021 Taylor & Francis. The Version of Record of this manuscript has been published and is available in Plastics, Rubber and Composites, date of publication (https://doi.org/10.1080/14658011.2020.1826195)
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Accepted for publication
2020-09-15
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Abstract
The Molecular Stress Function (MSF) constitutive model with convective constraint release mechanism has been shown to accurately fit a large range of viscometric data, and also shown to give strong vortex growth in flows of LDPE through planar and axisymmetric contractions. This work compares simulation and experimental results for 3-D flows of Lupolen 1840H LDPE through a contraction slit; 3-D effects are introduced by using a slit with a low upstream aspect ratio of 5:3.
Comparisons are made with vortex opening angles obtained from streak photography, and also with stress birefringence measurements. The comparisons are made with two versions of the convective constraint release (CCR) mechanism. The simulated vortex angles for one version of the CCR mechanism are found to approach what is seen experimentally. The best-fit value for the stress optical coefficient was found to vary between CCRs and to decrease with flow rate. This is partially explained by different centreline elongational rates with the two CCRs, which in turn is related to different opening angles.
A 3-D simulation is compared to the corresponding 2-D simulation. It is shown that both velocity vectors and birefringence show only small changes to around 60% of the distance to the side wall.
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Accepted manuscript
Citation
Olley P, Gough TD, Spares R et al (2021) An experimental and simulation comparison of a 3-D abrupt contraction flow using the Molecular Stress Function constitutive model. Plastics, Rubber and Composites. 50(1): 18-34.
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Article