We consider the motion of a shallow two-dimensional current of a purely viscous power-law fluid in a uniform porous layer above a horizontal impermeable boundary, driven by the instantaneous injection of a fixed volume of fluid. The equation of motion for power-law fluids in porous media is a modified Darcy’s law taking into account the nonlinearity of the rheological equation. Coupling the flow law with the mass balance equation yields a nonlinear partial differential equation governing the unknown free-surface height h(x, t) , with x and t being spatial coordinate and time. In dimensionless form, the governing equation admits an asymptotic solution in the self-similar form h(x,t) = eta_N^(n+1)*t ^(n/(2+n))*Phi(eta/eta_N), where eta=x*t^(-n/(2+n) is the self-similar variable, eta_N its value at the current tip, and Phi(eta/eta_N) the shape of the interface. Asymptotically a fixed volume of fluid spreads as t^(n/(2+n)), generalizing earlier results for Newtonian fluids. When an axisymmetric geometry is considered, the asymptotic spread rate becomes proportional to t^(n/(3+n)).

Di Federico V., Archetti R. (2011). Self-similar solutions for spreading of non-Newtonian gravity currents in a porous layer. RAVENNA : Publi&Stampa Edizioni.

Self-similar solutions for spreading of non-Newtonian gravity currents in a porous layer

DI FEDERICO, VITTORIO;ARCHETTI, RENATA
2011

Abstract

We consider the motion of a shallow two-dimensional current of a purely viscous power-law fluid in a uniform porous layer above a horizontal impermeable boundary, driven by the instantaneous injection of a fixed volume of fluid. The equation of motion for power-law fluids in porous media is a modified Darcy’s law taking into account the nonlinearity of the rheological equation. Coupling the flow law with the mass balance equation yields a nonlinear partial differential equation governing the unknown free-surface height h(x, t) , with x and t being spatial coordinate and time. In dimensionless form, the governing equation admits an asymptotic solution in the self-similar form h(x,t) = eta_N^(n+1)*t ^(n/(2+n))*Phi(eta/eta_N), where eta=x*t^(-n/(2+n) is the self-similar variable, eta_N its value at the current tip, and Phi(eta/eta_N) the shape of the interface. Asymptotically a fixed volume of fluid spreads as t^(n/(2+n)), generalizing earlier results for Newtonian fluids. When an axisymmetric geometry is considered, the asymptotic spread rate becomes proportional to t^(n/(3+n)).
2011
Atti del XX Congresso dell’Associazione Italiana di Meccanica Teorica e Applicata
1
10
Di Federico V., Archetti R. (2011). Self-similar solutions for spreading of non-Newtonian gravity currents in a porous layer. RAVENNA : Publi&Stampa Edizioni.
Di Federico V.; Archetti R.
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11585/105510
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