A Finite-Element Study of Newtonian and Power-Law Fluids in Conical Channel Flow

A numerical study of Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids in high-speed, laminar flow through a conical channel is presented. Using a variety of cone-angles and Reynolds numbers on the order of 100, converging flow is mapped according to several characteristics: the angle at which separation occurs at the cone outlet, the extent to which sink-flow is approximated, and the pressure drop through the cone. While the data provides a fundamental description of conical flow, it may be of particular usefulness to rheologists in establishing an inelastic baseline for a converging-flow rheometer.