Abstract
We introduce a discrete numerical method based on the diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) approach to simulate two-fluid Hele-Shaw flow subject to the Saffman-Taylor interfacial instability, in the case where the displaced fluid is non-Newtonian. Focusing on fluids for which the most relevant non-Newtonian aspect of the thin-gap flow is shear thinning, we introduce a history-dependent aspect into the algorithm, modeling shear-rate-dependent fluid viscosity. The main finding is that the morphology of the emerging patterns, characterized by the fractal dimension, is modified in a nontrivial manner by the shear-thinning nature of the displaced fluid. In particular, we consistently find that shear thinning leads to the formation of patterns characterized by a smaller fractal dimension, compared to the corresponding Newtonian fluid.
Original language | English (US) |
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Article number | 065107 |
Journal | Physical Review E |
Volume | 110 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Dec 2024 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Statistical and Nonlinear Physics
- Statistics and Probability
- Condensed Matter Physics