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Transport Phenomena - Fluid mechanics Problem :

Bingham fluid flow in a plane narrow slit

Problem.
Consider a fluid (of density ) in incompressible, laminar flow in a plane narrow slit of
length L and width W formed by two flat parallel walls that are a distance 2B apart. End
effects may be neglected because B << W << L. The fluid flows under the influence of a
pressure difference p, gravity or both.

Figure. Fluid flow in plane narrow slit.

a) Determine the steady-state velocity distribution for a non-Newtonian fluid that is

described by the Bingham model.

b) Obtain the mass flow rate for a Bingham fluid in slit flow.

Solution.
Click here for stepwise solution

a)

Step. Shear stress distribution

For axial flow in rectangular Cartesian coordinates, the differential equation for the
momentum flux is (click here for derivation)

dxz P
= (1)
dx L

where P is a modified pressure, which is the sum of both the pressure and gravity terms,
i.e., P = p + g L cos . Here, is the angle of inclination of the z-axis with the
vertical.

On integration, this gives the expression for the shear stress xz for laminar flow in a plane
narrow slit as (click here for derivation)

P
xz = x (2)
L

It must be noted that the above momentum flux expression holds for both Newtonian and
non-Newtonian fluids (and does not depend on the type of fluid). Further, xz = 0 at x = 0
in slit flow based on symmetry arguments, i.e., the velocity profile is symmetric about the
midplane x = 0.

Step. Bingham model

For viscoplastic materials (e.g., thick suspensions and pastes), there is no flow until a
critical stress (called the yield stress 0) is reached. To describe such a material that
exhibits a yield stress, the simplest model is the Bingham model given below.

dvz
or = 0 if |xz| 0 (3a)
dx

0 dvz
= 0 + or xz = 0 + 0 if |xz| 0 (3b)
+ dvz /dx dx

Here, is the non-Newtonian viscosity and 0 is a Bingham model parameter with units
of viscosity. In equation (3b), the positive sign is used with 0 and the negative sign with
dvz/dx when xz is positive. On the other hand, the negative sign is used with 0 and the
positive sign with dvz/dx when xz is negative.

Step. Inner plug-flow region

Let xz = + 0 at x = + x0. Then, from equation (2), x0 is given by 0 = (P/L) x0.

Let the inner region ( x0 x x0) where the shear stress is less than the yield stress ( 0
xz 0) be denoted by subscript i. Since xz is finite and xz = (dvz/dx), the Bingham
model [as per equation (3a)] gives (dvzi /dx) = 0. Integration gives vzi = C1 (constant
velocity), which implies the fluid is in plug flow in the inner region.

Step. Outer region

Let the outer region be denoted by subscript o. For the region x0 x B, the velocity
decreases with increasing x and therefore dvz / dx 0. On the other hand, for the region
B x x0, the velocity decreases with decreasing x and therefore dvz / dx 0. Thus,
the Bingham model according to equation (3b) is given by

dvzo 0
xz = 0 + 0 or = 0 + for x0 x B (4a)
dx dvzo /dx

dvzo 0
xz = 0 0 or = 0 + for B x x0 (4b)
dx dvzo /dx

To obtain the velocity profile for x0 x B, equations (2) and (4a) may be combined to
eliminate xz and get
dvzo P 0
= x + for x0 x B (5)
dx 0L 0

Integration gives vzo = P x2 /(20L) + 0 x/0 + C2. Imposing the boundary condition
that vzo = 0 at x = B then yields C2 = P B2 /(20L) 0 B/0. Thus,
2
P B2 x 0 B x

vzo = 1 1 for x0 x B (6)
2 0 L B 0 B
 Step. Velocity distribution

For the inner plug-flow region, it was earlier found that vzi = C1. To determine C1, it may
be noted that vzi = vzo at x = x0. Then, equation (6) along with 0 = (P/L) x0 may be
simplified to give C1 = P B2 /(20L) (1 x0/B)2. Thus, the final results for the velocity
profile are

2
P B2 x0

vzi = 1 for |x| x0 (7a)

2 0 L B

2
P B2 x 0 B |x|

vzo = 1 1 for x0 |x| B (7b)

2 0 L B 0 B

The velocity profile is flat in the inner region as given by equation (7a) and is parabolic
in the outer region as given by equation (7b).

b)

Step. General expression for mass flow rate

Since the velocity profile is symmetric about the midplane x = 0, the mass flow rate may
be obtained by integrating the velocity profile over half the cross section of the slit as
shown below.

B
B
w = = 2 (8a)
v W dx vz W dx
B z
0

Rather than insert two separate expressions from equations (7a) and (7b) for vz and
integrate in two regions, it is easier to integrate by parts.
B B B
dvz dvz

w = 2W vz x | dx = 2W dx (8b)
x x
dx dx
0 0 0
The first term in the square brackets above is zero at both limits on using the no-slip
boundary condition (vz = 0 at x = B) at the upper limit. From equation (2), x/B = xz /B
where B = P B/L is the wall shear stress. Thus, a general expression for the mass rate of
flow in a plane narrow slit is

2WB2 B dvz

w = dxz (8c)
xz
dx

B2
0

Step. Mass flow rate for Bingham fluid

For a material with a yield stress, the lower limit of integration is reset to 0 as per
equation (3a). Then, substituting equation (4a) and integrating yields

B
2WB2 2WB2 1 1
3 3
w = xz (xz 0) dxz = (B 0 ) (0B2 03) (8d)

0B2 0B2 3 2
0

The final expression for the mass flow rate is

3
2 P W B3 3 0 1 0

w = 1 + (8e)

3 0 L 2 B 2 B

Note that B = P B/L is the wall shear stress and 0 is the yield stress. Since no flow
occurs below the yield stress (that is, when B 0), the above expression is valid only for
B > 0.

For 0 = 0 and 0 = , the Bingham model simplifies to the Newtonian model and
equation (8e) reduces to the Newtonian result, i.e., w = 2 P B3 W / (3 L).

Related Problems in Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics :

Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics Problem : Bingham fluid flow in a circular tube
- Determination of shear stress, velocity profile and mass flow rate for in a circular tube rather than a
narrow slit

Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics Problem : Newtonian fluid flow in a plane

narrow slit
- Determination of shear stress, velocity profile and mass flow rate for Newtonian fluid rather than
Bingham fluid

Transport Phenomena - Fluid Mechanics Problem : Power law fluid flow in a plane
narrow slit
- Determination of shear stress, velocity profile and mass flow rate for power law fluid rather than Bingham
fluid

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