Long-wave evolution model of thermocapillary convection in an evaporating thin film of pseudoplastic fluids
International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow
ISSN: 0961-5539
Article publication date: 19 July 2019
Issue publication date: 21 November 2019
Abstract
Purpose
By solving a long-wave evolution model numerically for power-law fluids, the authors aim to investigate the hydrodynamic and thermal characteristics of thermocapillary flow in an evaporating thin liquid film of pseudoplastic fluid.
Design/methodology/approach
The flow reversal attributed to the thermocapillary action is manifestly discernible through the streamline plots.
Findings
The thermocapillary strength is closely related to the viscosity of the fluid, besides its surface tension. The thermocapillary flow prevails in both Newtonian and pseudoplastic fluids at a large Marangoni number and the thermocapillary effect is more significant in the former. The overestimate in the Newtonian fluid is larger than that in the pseudoplastic fluid, owing to the shear-thinning characteristics of the latter.
Originality/value
This study provides insights into the essential attributes of the underlying flow characteristics in affecting the thermal behavior of thermocapillary convection in an evaporating thin liquid film of the shear-thinning fluids.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The corresponding author wishes to acknowledge the support of the Ministry of Education, Malaysia, through the Fundamental Research Grant Scheme (FRGS/1/2015/TK01/MUSM/03/1).
Citation
Lim, E. and Hung, Y.M. (2019), "Long-wave evolution model of thermocapillary convection in an evaporating thin film of pseudoplastic fluids", International Journal of Numerical Methods for Heat & Fluid Flow, Vol. 29 No. 12, pp. 4764-4787. https://doi.org/10.1108/HFF-01-2019-0003
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited