Paper 3, Section II, B

Fluid Dynamics II
Part II, 2016

A cylindrical pipe of radius aa and length LaL \gg a contains two viscous fluids arranged axisymmetrically with fluid 1 of viscosity μ1\mu_{1} occupying the central region r<βar<\beta a, where 0<β<10<\beta<1, and fluid 2 of viscosity μ2\mu_{2} occupying the surrounding annular region βa<r<a\beta a<r<a. The flow in each fluid is assumed to be steady and unidirectional, with velocities u1(r)ezu_{1}(r) \mathbf{e}_{z} and u2(r)ezu_{2}(r) \mathbf{e}_{z} respectively, with respect to cylindrical coordinates (r,θ,z)(r, \theta, z) aligned with the pipe. A fixed pressure drop Δp\Delta p is applied between the ends of the pipe.

Starting from the Navier-Stokes equations, derive the equations satisfied by u1(r)u_{1}(r) and u2(r)u_{2}(r), and state all the boundary conditions. Show that the pressure gradient is constant.

Solve for the velocity profile in each fluid and calculate the corresponding flow rates, Q1Q_{1} and Q2Q_{2}.

Derive the relationship between β\beta and μ2/μ1\mu_{2} / \mu_{1} that yields the same flow rate in each fluid. Comment on the behaviour of β\beta in the limits μ2/μ11\mu_{2} / \mu_{1} \gg 1 and μ2/μ11\mu_{2} / \mu_{1} \ll 1, illustrating your comment by sketching the flow profiles.

[[ Hint: In cylindrical coordinates (r,θ,z)(r, \theta, z),

2u=1rr(rur)+1r22uθ2+2uz2,erz=12(urz+uzr)\nabla^{2} u=\frac{1}{r} \frac{\partial}{\partial r}\left(r \frac{\partial u}{\partial r}\right)+\frac{1}{r^{2}} \frac{\partial^{2} u}{\partial \theta^{2}}+\frac{\partial^{2} u}{\partial z^{2}}, \quad e_{r z}=\frac{1}{2}\left(\frac{\partial u_{r}}{\partial z}+\frac{\partial u_{z}}{\partial r}\right)