4/18/2018 Transport Phenomena Fluid mechanics problem solution BSL : Annular flow of Newtonian fluid with inner cylinder

cylinder moving axially - wi…

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Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics Problem :

Annular drag flow with inner cylinder moving axially
- Newtonian fluid in wire coating die

Problem.
A wire - coating die essentially consists of a cylindrical wire of radius κR moving horizontally at a constant
velocity V along the axis of a cylindrical die of radius R. If the pressure in the die is uniform, then the
Newtonian fluid (of constant viscosity μ and constant density ρ) flows through the narrow annular region
solely by the drag due to the motion of the wire (and is referred to as 'axial annular Couette flow'). Neglect
end effects and assume an isothermal system.

Figure. Fluid flow in wire coating die.

a) Establish the expression for the steady-state velocity profile in the annular region of the die.

b) Obtain the mass flow rate through the annular die region.

c) Estimate the coating thickness δ some distance downstream of the die exit.

d) Find the force that must be applied per unit length of the wire.

e) Write the force expression in d) as a 'plane slit' formula with a 'curvature correction'.

Solution.
Click here for stepwise solution

a)

Step. Shear stress and velocity distribution

The fluid flow is in the z-direction shearing constant-r surfaces. Therefore, the velocity component that
exists is vz(r) and the shear stress component is τrz(r).

A momentum balance in cylindrical coordinates (click here for detailed discussion) gives

d (r τ ) = ΔP
rz r (1)
dr L

Since there is no pressure gradient and gravity does not play any role in the motion of the fluid, ΔP = 0.
Equation (1) with the right-hand side set to zero leads to the following expression for the shear stress
distribution on integration:

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4/18/2018 Transport Phenomena Fluid mechanics problem solution BSL : Annular flow of Newtonian fluid with inner cylinder moving axially - wi…

τrz = C1 (2)
r

The constant of integration C1 is determined later using boundary conditions.

Substituting Newton's law of viscosity for τrz in equation (2) gives

dvz C
−μ = 1 (3)
dr r

The above differential equation is simply integrated to obtain the following velocity profile:

C
vz = − 1 ln r + C2 (4)
μ

The integration constants C1 and C2 are evaluated from the following no-slip boundary conditions:

BC 1: at r = R, vz = 0 (5)

BC 2: at r = κR, vz = V (6)

From BC 1, C2 = (C1/μ) ln R. So, vz = (C1/μ) ln (R/r) and BC 2 yields C1 = − μV/ ln κ. On substituting the
integration constants into equations (2) and (4), the final expressions for the shear stress and velocity
distribution are

μV
τrz = (7)
r ln (1/κ)

vz ln (r/R)
= (8)
V ln κ

b)

Step. Mass flow rate

The mass rate of flow is obtained by integrating the velocity profile over the cross section of the annular
region as follows.

R 1
2 r æ r ö æ r ö
w = 2πρ ∫ rvz dr = 2 π R V ρ ∫ R ln è R ø d è R ø (9)
ln κ
κR κ

Integration by parts then gives

2 2 1
2 π R2 V ρ é 1 æ r ö æ r ö 1æ r ö ù
w = ln − (10)
ln κ ë2èRø èRø 4èRø ûκ

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4/18/2018 Transport Phenomena Fluid mechanics problem solution BSL : Annular flow of Newtonian fluid with inner cylinder moving axially - wi…

On evaluation at the limits of integration, the final expression for the mass rate of flow is

2 é 2 ù
w = π R V ρ 1 − κ − 2 κ2 (11)
2 ë ln(1/κ) û

c)

Step. Coating thickness

Some distance downstream of the die exit, the Newtonian liquid is transported as a coating of thickness δ
exposed to air. A momentum balance in the 'air region' yields the same shear stress expression [equation
(2)]. The boundary condition at the liquid-gas interface is τrz = 0 at r = κR + δ, which now gives C1 = 0 and
τrz = 0 throughout the coating. Furthermore, equations (4) and (6) are valid and give the velocity profile as
vz = V through the entire coating. As the velocity becomes uniform and identical to that of the wire, the
liquid is transported as a rigid coating. The mass flow rate in the air region is given by

κR + δ
wair = 2πVρ ∫ r dr = πR2Vρ [(κ + δ/R)2 − κ2] (12)
κR

Equating the above expression for the flow rate wair in the air region to the flow rate w in the die region
gives

δ é 2 w ù 1/2
= κ + −κ (13)
R ë πR2Vρ û

On substituting w from equation (11), the final expression for the coating thickness is

1/2
δ é 1 − κ2 ù
= −κ (14)
R ë 2 ln(1/κ) û

d)

Step. Force applied to wire

The force applied to the wire is given by the shear stress integrated over the wetted surface area.
Therefore, on using equation (7),

Fz 2πμV
= (2 π κR) τrz| r = κR = (15)
L ln (1/κ)

e)

Step. Plane slit formula for force

A very narrow annular region with outer radius R and inner radius (1 − ε)R, where ε is very small, may be
approximated by a plane slit with area = 2π(1 − ½ε)RL ≈ 2πRL and gap = εR. Then, the velocity profile in
the plane slit will be linear and the force applied to the 'plane' wire is given by

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4/18/2018 Transport Phenomena Fluid mechanics problem solution BSL : Annular flow of Newtonian fluid with inner cylinder moving axially - wi…

Fplane V Fplane 2πμV

= μ or = (16)
2πRL εR L ε

On substituting kappa; = 1 − ε (since R − κR = εR for the thin annular gap) in equation (15), the force
applied to the wire is given by

Fz 2πμV
= (17)
L − ln (1 − ε)

The Taylor series expansion given below is next used.

1 2 1 3 1 4 1 5
ln (1 − ε) = −ε − (18)
2 ε − 3 ε − 4 ε − 5 ε − ...

−1
1 1é 1 1 2 1 3 1 4 ù 1é 1 1 2 1 3 19 4 ù
= 1 + ε + ε + ε + ε + ... = 1− ε− (19)
− ln (1 − ε) εë 2 3 4 5 û εë 2 12 ε − 24 ε − 720 ε − ... û

Equation (19) may be obtained by using (1 + u)−1 = 1 − u + u2 − u3 + u4 − ... (which is an infinite geometric
progression with |u| < 1). On substituting in equation (17), the following force expression is finally obtained
as a 'plane slit' formula with a 'curvature correction'.

Fz 2πμV é 1 1 2 1 3 19 4 ù
= 1− ε− ε − ε − ε − ... (20)
L ε ë 2 12 24 720 û

The above problem solution considers only drag flow in a wire-coating die. The problem is solved
considering both drag and pressure by Malik, R. and Shenoy, U. V. (1991) 'Generalized annular Couette
flow of a power-law fluid', Ind. Eng. Chem. Res. 30(8): 1950 - 1954.

Related Problems in Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics :

Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics Problem : Power law fluid in wire coating die
- Determination of shear stress, velocity profile, mass flow rate and coating thickness for power law fluid rather than Newtonian fluid
in case of annular drag flow with inner cylinder moving axially

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