Paper 2, Section II, A

Fluid Dynamics
Part II, 2019

A viscous fluid is contained in a channel between rigid planes y=hy=-h and y=hy=h. The fluid in the upper region σ<y<h\sigma<y<h (with h<σ<h-h<\sigma<h ) has dynamic viscosity μ\mu_{-} while the fluid in the lower region h<y<σ-h<y<\sigma has dynamic viscosity μ+>μ\mu_{+}>\mu_{-}. The plane at y=hy=h moves with velocity UU_{-}and the plane at y=hy=-h moves with velocity U+U_{+}, both in the xx direction. You may ignore the effect of gravity.

(a) Find the steady, unidirectional solution of the Navier-Stokes equations in which the interface between the two fluids remains at y=σy=\sigma.

(b) Using the solution from part (a):

(i) calculate the stress exerted by the fluids on the two boundaries;

(ii) calculate the total viscous dissipation rate in the fluids;

(iii) demonstrate that the rate of working by boundaries balances the viscous dissipation rate in the fluids.

(c) Consider the situation where U++U=0U_{+}+U_{-}=0. Defining the volume flux in the upper region as QQ_{-}and the volume flux in the lower region as Q+Q_{+}, show that their ratio is independent of σ\sigma and satisfies

QQ+=μμ+\frac{Q_{-}}{Q_{+}}=-\frac{\mu_{-}}{\mu_{+}}