Simulations of Viscoelastic Polymer Solution Flows

Many natural and synthetic fluids are viscoelastic materials i.e. the stress at a certain fluid particle depends upon the history of the deformation experienced by that particle. Polymer melts and most polymer solutions are examples of such liquids. Simulation of the flow of these fluids is therefore of great interest for the plastic industry. Viscoelastic fluids are examples of non - Newtonian fluids. While the Newtonian fluids are characterised by a constant viscosity (i.e., constant ratio between shear stress and the rate of strain), the non-Newtonian fluids require more complicated constitutive relations in order to close the governing system of equations...