Taylor scraping flow: Difference between revisions

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==Flow description==

Consider a plane wall located at <math>\theta=0</math> in the cylindrical coordinates <math>(r,\theta)</math>, moving with a constant velocity <math>U</math> towards the left. Consider an another plane wall(scraper), at an inclined position, making an angle <math>\alpha</math> from the positive <math>x</math> direction and let the point of intersection be at <math>r=0</math>. This description is equivalent to moving the scraper towards right with velocity <math>U</math>. It should be noted that the problem is singular at <math>r=0</math> because at the origin, the velocities are discontinuous, thus the velocity gradient is infinite there.

Taylor noticed that the inertial terms are negligible as long as the region of interest is within <math>r\ll\nu/U</math>( or, equivalently [[Reynolds number]] <math>Re = Ur/\nu<<1</math>), thus within the region the flow is essentially a [[Stokes flow]]. For example, [[George Batchelor]]<ref>Batchelor, George Keith. An introduction to fluid dynamics. Cambridge university press, 2000.</ref> gives a typical value for lubricating oil with velocity <math>U=10\text{ cm}/\text{s}</math> as <math>r\ll0.4\text{ cm}</math>. Then for two-dimensional planar problem, the equation is